Worst Mistake
by s l y t h e r i n d o l l
Summary: One taste and they were both ruined forever...
1. Chapter 1

**Full Summary: Hermione Granger. Gryffindor Golden Girl. Virgin Mary. _Prude_. Hermione feels left behind as her best friends begin to go through the female population at Hogwarts like tissue. Tired of being the butt of every joke, she decides to take matters into her own hands, and a rash decision quickly comes back to bite with deadly consequences.**

* * *

 **WARNING:**

 **DARK!OBSESSIVE!POSSESSIVE!DRACO. THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING. I WILL NOT PUT THIS AT EVERY CHAPTER. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK**

 **18+**

* * *

Hermione closed her eyes and heaved a low sigh as Harry and Ron talked amongst each other, forgetting about her presence altogether. It was late and almost everyone had gone off to bed or to some discreet gathering or another. The only light in the common room came from the raging fire in the fireplace. It wasn't nearly cold enough for it, but it had always had a calming effect on Hermione. She clenched her jaw before opening her eyes, doing her best to focus on the work that they _all_ were supposed to be doing. The three of them had decided to work on this assignment together in order to get it out of the way as soon as possible. Hermione was well on her way to being done. Harry and Ron, however, found that the topic of Parvati Patil's physique was much more interesting.

Her throat clenched, thick with emotion as their words reached her ears. Some time ago, she had thought she'd had a thing for Ron and it even seemed that he fancied her as well. At least, that was what he had made her think. He had been extra nice to her and had showered her with compliments and all sorts of attention. Hermione had been expecting him to ask her out any day now. Then, it seemed that out of nowhere he was suddenly sleeping with anything that had an opening in between its legs. It had stung, there was no doubt about that, but she forced herself to get over it. And she did. After all, they were all supposed to be friends and she didn't want to make things awkward by letting her feelings get in the way. However, it still wasn't easy nor pleasurable to hear about all of his great conquests.

She sneered and rolled her eyes in disgust as Harry laughed and praised his best friend. He was no better. If she closed her eyes, Hermione could still recall Ginny's cries and the look on her face as she told Hermione how Harry had broken up with her out of the blue. He had given the gorgeous redhead some petty excuse about growing apart, but Hermione knew the truth. She was around him almost all the time after the breakup. She knew that what he really wanted was to bask in the onslaught of females that threw themselves at him after the war. Hermione's shoulders sagged with released tension. She felt so left out lately. More than half of their conversations consisted of Quidditch and Girls. Ginny was so heartbroken that she had hardly even seen the younger girl around. She was lucky if Ginny showed up to the Great Hall for food. This, more often than not, left Hermione by herself. _How did we end up here?_

"…and she's nothing like Lavender. All Lavender did was lay there like a bloody pillow-"

Hermione slammed her book shut before beginning to collect her things, fed up. The two boys finally paused their conversation and looked up at their curly haired friend in concern… _shocking_.

"You okay, 'Mione?"

Hermione sighed again at Harry's question before turning to face him and Ron as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Never better. Besides, why wouldn't I be? After all, I do _so_ enjoy hearing the two of you go on and on about the girls in this school as if they are nothing more than slabs of meat, purely here for your enjoyment," she snapped.

Ron and Harry stared at her with wide eyes, shocked at her outburst. Harry cleared his throat and at least had the audacity to look somewhat ashamed.

"Sorry. We didn't mean to…we got a bit distracted. Honestly, we forgot you were even here," he explained as he rubbed the back of his head.

Hermione looked down as his words resonated within her head. _We forgot you were even here…_ Ron, on the other hand, simply frowned as if _she_ were in the wrong.

"You could have left anytime you wanted, Hermione. You do have a whole dorm practically to yourself," Ron stated, bringing up her Head Girl status.

Hermione repressed another sigh as she was reminded of the Head's dorm, which she shared with a certain blond and arrogant Slytherin.

"I stayed, Ronald, because we were supposed to be working on this _together_ , remember? I didn't think that your conversation would be endless…"

"Of course not."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked in confusion.

Ron's eyes widened as he registered her tone.

"Oh! I didn't mean anything by it, Hermione. It's just that you don't…well, you know…," he trailed off, hands flailing about.

"No, I don't know," she whispered, clutching her books to her chest.

She noted that Harry looked at his best friend in warning, but Ron paid no mind.

"You don't… _do_ things like normal girls, Hermione. You're not even interested. You do your homework and patrol and _read_. You couldn't possibly wrap your head around why a conversation about… _dating_ would last longer than five minutes. It's not important to you, and you know nothing about it," he said with a shrug as if he were describing the weather.

Hermione swallowed as she stared at him.

"Oh. I see," she whispered.

"We won't even mention it next time, okay?"

Hermione stared at him with an unreadable expression as she played his words over in her mind.

"Sure," she finally said as she began to walk out.

"See you tomorrow," Harry called behind her just before the entrance shut.

Her walk back to her dorm was quiet. Honestly, the school could have been on fire and Hermione would not have noticed. She was far too deep in thought. Ron didn't even think twice about the words he said, as if it took no effort to pull them to the forefront of his mind. Did that mean that it was true? She shook her head. Of course it wasn't true. She was interested in…that sort of stuff, but it just wasn't important to her right now. Although, it seemed to be important to everyone else. What was the big deal, anyway? With the way the rest of her horny classmates behaved, you'd think that sex was an out of body experience or something.

She murmured her password and paid no heed as the entrance slammed shut behind her. She twisted a strand of her around her finger and tugged on it, her thoughts all over the place. She didn't even notice the half-dressed young man sitting on the couch, watching her through bright, narrowed eyes.

"Who kicked your puppy, Granger?"

Hermione jumped and spun around to face her dorm mate as his deep voice rang throughout the quiet common area. His school shirt was unbuttoned, showcasing an impressive chest. This wasn't so surprising. Apparently, Malfoy was far from modest and had no qualms about walking around their dorm half naked on a regular basis. His hair was messier than usual though and his tie was thrown across the back of the couch. He was leaning back, posed like he was the most relaxed guy in the world and Hermione took note of the female hair clip on the table. He'd just had "company" over, she concluded.

"No one kicked my puppy," she answered, a bit miffed.

He simply raised an eyebrow at her dreary tone, but remained silent nonetheless. At the very beginning of the year they'd called a truce so to speak. Basically, as long as they hardly talked and stayed out of each other's way ninety percent of the time, they'd get along. This didn't mean that they still didn't have their occasional spat though. However, Harry and Ron still treated him like an unwanted blister and Hermione knew that they would freak if they ever found out she was somewhat civil towards the enemy.

She shook her head at him and made her way towards her room, unaware of the way his gaze followed her. She immediately dropped all of her belongings as soon as she shut the door behind her and shoved all of her pillows off of her bed as her knees sank into the mattress, one after the other. She laid her head down and stared at the wall in sadness before sleep overtook her.

* * *

"Just…don't think about it, Ginny."

The Great Hall hummed with the sound of chatty students. The younger girl simply picked at her food as Hermione wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders. The redhead glanced down at the end of the table at Harry with a heartbroken frown, who was laughing with some girl from Hufflepuff. Hermione stared at the scene in anger. It was like he didn't care at all that his ex-girlfriend was literally only a few seats away. It was so disrespectful.

"I don't understand…," Ginny quietly began.

"Ginny," Hermione warned as she faced her, having been over this.

"Why couldn't he just have been honest with me? Why couldn't he just tell me that he wanted to see other people? Yeah, I would have been pissed, but I would have gotten over it. No, he decides to lie and have me wondering for months what I did wrong. You know how many times I replayed the relationship over and over again in my head, trying to see what I could have done to prevent this? You know how many times I blamed myself? Little did I know that there was nothing I could do about him simply being a pig," she tearfully whispered.

Hermione rubbed Ginny's shoulders in comfort as she sighed.

"I'm going to go talk to him-"

"No! I don't want him to know that I'm miserable," Ginny cried, as she clutched her friend's shirt in her fists.

"Ginny…look at you. You are a fiery and independent girl who can have, _has had_ , any guy she wants. Look what he has turned you into? This is not the Ginny I know-"

"Well, I'm sorry, Hermione. I can't exactly help how I feel. I shouldn't have expected you to understand," Ginny harshly interrupted.

Once again, Hermione found herself asking…

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that…you're you. You focus on school and your future and crap. You couldn't care less about the dumb blokes at this school. I shouldn't have expected you to relate…"

Hermione swallowed as similar words from last night were thrown back in her face.

"There was Ron," Hermione quietly defended.

Ginny scoffed.

"Oh, please! That was hardly a crush, and you know it. You only liked him so much because he was the only one showing you any attention. You were desperate-"

Ginny cut herself off as she turned to look at Hermione with wide eyes. Hermione frowned. That stung…a lot. Ginny put her hand over mouth and then dropped it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I just…"

"Was telling the truth," Hermione finished.

"I really didn't mean-"

"No, it's fine. Apparently, my lack of experience is well known and it seems to be a popular topic," Hermione whispered.

"Seriously, Hermione, don't listen to me. I'm heartbroken and all sorts of messed up right now," Ginny said.

"But it's the truth, is it not? Stuff like that isn't important to me and my lack of interest in it is pushing me away from my friends. It's all Ron and Harry talk about lately and I just…can't relate," Hermione said with a shrug.

"Did Ron say something? Merlin, I swear I'm going to kick his-"

"He spoke nothing but the truth, Ginny."

"He's still an ass. He can't fathom anyone else's feelings but his own. I think you said it perfectly once. What was that…he has the emotional range of a teaspoon?" Ginny joked.

Hermione chuckled and nodded.

"I really am sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I just meant that Ron isn't exactly a catch, and you could waste your time on someone so much better. I'm certainly glad that you're over it though," Ginny whispered.

"Yeah," Hermione halfheartedly agreed as she too began to poke at her food.

* * *

Hermione collected her things as they were dismissed. She gathered her notes, organizing them before placing them into her bag.

"Hey guys…," she trailed off as she looked next to her.

Their seats were empty and upon looking towards the entrance, she could see that they were already walking out of the door, deep in conversation. Hermione sighed and threw her bag over her shoulder as she too began to follow behind her classmates. She wished that she could say that it didn't hurt, but it did. She could feel herself slowly being phased out and replaced by the many girls who were giving them what they wanted. After all, hanging around her all the time would cramp their style, now wouldn't it?

She was making her way up the upper floors, going to do some extra studying, when she almost ran into someone.

"Watch it, Granger!"

Hermione looked up and sighed in exasperation.

"Parkinson," Hermione acknowledged before making her way around the pig nosed Slytherin.

"Next time, pay attention to where you're going instead of fantasizing about that weasel of yours," the other girl shouted at Hermione's back.

The Gryffindor simply rolled her eyes, letting the comment roll over her back, even though it did sting a bit. Upon walking into her dorm, she was confronted with the wonderful sight of her dorm mate's back as he hovered over some overly eager female on the couch. Hermione felt her face flush in anger.

The door slammed shut behind her and she dropped her belongings with a thud and a scowl as Malfoy let out a long sigh before sitting up. The girl jumped up and hurriedly began fixing her hair and clothes, apologizing. Hermione recognized her as a prefect, couldn't recall her name though.

"Granger… Thought you'd be at the library or something-"

"I don't care," Hermione snapped, her anger finally boiling over.

She walked down the short set of steps and put her hands on her hips.

"I don't give a flying…you know what if you thought I was going to be at the library. _This_ ," she motioned to the living area "…is the common area. _Our_ common area, not your own personal harem whenever you feel like it. You want to wear your penis out? Do it in your own room!"

"What the hell crawled up your butt and died?" he hissed, eyes hardening.

The other brunette in the room cautiously excused herself, taking heed of the growing tension.

"Sorry, Hermione," the younger girl apologized to the Head Girl before exiting the dorm.

Hermione paid the insignificant girl no mind. Malfoy was at fault here…

"Nothing crawled up my butt and died, Malfoy! You are just an inconsiderate… _jerk_! Is it really that difficult to go to your own room? Do you have that little self-control that you couldn't even make it up the stairs?" she mocked. "Have you regressed back to the savage animalistic state-?"

" _Fuck you, Granger_!"

Hermione's eyes widened as he rose from behind the couch, stalking towards her. His chest was bare, pants hanging low on his hips and eyes blazing, hair falling into his face. His jaw was clenched, nostrils flaring in anger. He didn't stop until he was directly in front of her, practically on top of her as he towered over her shorter frame. Her heart sped up, and she felt her body unconsciously reacting to his close proximity. She swallowed and took a few steps back…

"Oh, but wait…you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?," he mocked.

Hermione flinched at the insult.

"Is that why you're standing here _bitching_ at me in all of your self-righteous glory? You don't have anyone to take care of that stick up your ass?"

He leaned over, his nose a hair's width away from her own.

"I-"

"You what? You feel like such a fucking loser because your two best mates are plowing through the female population of Hogwarts like there's no tomorrow, trying and failing to imitate me, might I add, and your other one is a heartbroken mess who can barely get out of bed in the morning? I don't give a rat's ass about your problems and how you deal with them, Granger, just don't take it out on me," he hissed.

"Don't force me to then! This isn't just your dorm. It's mine too," she snapped.

"It's somehow my fault that you're such a damn _prude_?"

Hermione visibly winced as that last word left his lips. This did not go unnoticed by Malfoy.

"Shut up-"

"Look at you! You're about to jump out of your skin just because I don't have a shirt on-"

"That's because you disgust me, Malfoy."

" _Au contraire_. I think it's because I actually make you feel something. Who knew? Mother Teresa is actually _alive_ _down there_ -"

Hermione's hand stung from the contact, but it was worth it as his head snapped to the side, a shocked expression on his face. She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over, her shoulders trembling. She had nothing left to say and instead opted for shoving past him. She heard him heave a sigh.

"Granger-"

"Leave me alone," she shouted as she walked up the stairs.

"That was out of line, I admit-"

"I don't care, Malfoy. You always say what you want without apologizing. Why start now?"

"Granger-"

She slammed the door in his face and leaned against it, letting the tears fall.

* * *

"Hey, Hermione…you okay?"

Hermione looked up from her book and stared at Ron in shock. He and Harry had been talking to each other for about the past hour, and she had been as quiet as a mouse. She was surprised they even remembered that she was here. To be honest, _she_ had actually forgotten about _them_. She had paid no mind to their conversation, it was always the same anyway. Her mind was on something else entirely.

Within a span of two days, three different people had basically said the same thing about her. There was a pattern forming here, and Hermione would be dumb to not see it. Normally, the opinions of others about a topic as trivial as this would not bother her, but she felt so lost. Malfoy had been right, she was upset about what was going on with her and her friends. She wanted to things to go back to how they used to be.

She hated that Ron and Harry had begun to turn into these arrogant heartthrobs who felt that they were God's gift to women. She hated that Harry had screwed Ginny over so badly that the younger Weasley could barely even eat. She hated the looks she received from other girls for simply just being friends with Ron and Harry, as if the three of them hadn't been friends their entire lives. She hated that Malfoy had hit the nail right on the head, that someone like him could know her so well.

Most of all, she hated that she was being left behind. She blinked as she took note of someone snapping their fingers in front of her face.

"Hello…earth to, Hermione…"

Her eyes focused in on Ron's freckled face, his brows furrowed in concern.

"Are you feeling alright?" he questioned as he pressed his hand against her forehead.

What was she thinking? They weren't leaving her behind, nor were they turning into guys like Draco Malfoy. They were still her friends who cared about her. This was just a phase, of course. As Hermione looked at them, she wanted to spill her guts. She wanted to divulge everything that had been on her mind since school started weeks ago. She wanted to tell them how worried she had been and how left out she had felt. She wanted to talk to them like she used to…but she didn't. She bit her lip before sending them a small smile.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just have a lot on my mind…"

"You always have a lot on your mind, Hermione," Harry said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"We should get going, mate," Ron said as he stood, collecting his things.

Hermione looked up in wonder as Harry followed his best friend's lead.

"Where are you going…?"

"Um…we uh-"

"Have a date," Hermione quietly finished.

"We'll finish this tomorrow, we promise," Ron said.

Hermione didn't even have it in her to argue.

"Yeah…sure, no problem."

She had done most of the work anyway. Harry ruffled her hair before they left, throwing goodbyes over their shoulders. Her shoulders slumped as she leaned back in her chair before she too decided to just call it a day. _It's just a phase…_ This was what she kept reminding herself as she threw her books into her bag. The more she repeated it, however, the less true it started to feel.

Just as she slung her bag over her shoulder, a familiar blonde approached her with a small smile.

"Hermione…have you seen Ron?"

"Uh…yeah. He and Harry just left, said something about a date…," Hermione trailed off.

It became apparent by the look on Lavender's face that perhaps telling her Ron was going on a date was definitely the wrong idea. Hermione quickly backtracked, doing her best to avoid being involved in any unnecessary drama.

"But I probably heard wrong, though. Now that I think about it, Harry was the one who is going on a date. I think Ron may have said something about…eating…?"

Hermione cringed as she finished, but no one would ever believe Ron was going to study.

The other girl visibly deflated.

"...and he didn't say anything about where he would be…?

Hermione shook her head as Lavender sighed.

"Sorry. I should go…," Hermione made to leave, but was stopped by Lavender.

"Look I…I'll admit, I'm kind of jealous of you-"

"Excuse me?" Hermione incredulously asked, interrupting the girl.

"You and Ron are really close. You're best friends. You mean a lot to him and…well, it's kind of intimidating," Lavender finished.

Hermione made no comment about how it felt like the exact opposite recently.

"Thanks…?"

"I just…you would know if he was seeing another girl, right," Lavender desperately asked.

 _Ah_. Hermione should have known that the outgoing girl wanted something from her. Hermione swallowed, remembering the conversation from the other night where Ron went on and on about Parvati and how she was nothing like Lavender. Hermione was sure that he even compared Lavender to a pillow…

Now Hermione found herself at a loss. She could be petty and let her feelings overrule the right thing to do and tell Lavender everything. She could expose Ron, after all, it would be no more than he deserved. She could tell the girl about how Ron had slept with her best friend and even tell her what he had said about her. Hermione fidgeted before reluctantly shaking her head.

"No, I'm sorry. They don't exactly talk about those sort of things with me…"

Lavender made a sound that equated "of course" before shaking her head.

"Right, right. I forget that you don't…You wouldn't want to hear about something like that, anyway. I shouldn't have expected that he would confide in you about that. Sorry, Hermione, but thanks anyway."

Hermione stared after the dejected girl as she walked away. It was obvious that Lavender liked Ron and he was out…doing Merlin knows what with Merlin knows who. Hermione exhaled and put her hand to her forehead. She should have just told Lavender the truth. At least the girl would know and Ron would get what was coming to him, but it was none of Hermione's business.

Besides, if she was being honest, she was a bit miffed at Lavender's implication… She sighed and shook her head as she remembered that she and Malfoy had to patrol tonight. _It's going to be a long night…_

* * *

Hermione's hair was heavy with water and she stared in the mirror as the droplets cascaded down her back. She'd had a long shower, long enough to really think. Patrol with Malfoy had been extremely quiet, which was odd seeing as they normally went back and forth with each other. As they had made their way back to their dorm he had given a mediocre apology about his comment yesterday. Hermione brushed him off, she had long accepted the truth of his words. It was all she thought about while she was under the warm spray of water.

She kept telling herself that what was going on with Ron and Harry was just a phase, but she couldn't fight off the thoughts that kept telling her otherwise. She just felt like they were all growing apart and she didn't know what to do. She felt so left behind…so alone. She just didn't get it. What was so amazing enough to completely neglect a friend? It was sex, for Merlin's sake! It was hardly anything to get bent up about. _How would you know?_

She suddenly blinked. She was right. How _would_ she know? She'd never had sex, barely even been kissed as a matter of fact. She frowned, annoyed that something so... _meaningless_ could stump her. She was brilliant, the smartest student in this whole damn school, but because she'd never shagged some poor fellow, she felt... _stupid_. She huffed. If she were being honest with herself, it bothered her that people like Ron and Lavender were more educated on a topic than she was. It felt downright insulting. Hermione stared into the mirror in thought before tightly wrapping her towel around herself. Her mind was made up…

She exited the bathroom, going into her room before opening her door and walking across the makeshift hallway to _his_ room. She took a deep breath and looked up at his door before knocking. All she could hear in her ears was the rush of blood and the sound of her erratic heartbeat. All noise seemed to have stopped as the door knob twisted and his door swung open. He had on nothing but pajama bottoms, probably silk, the dark color a contrast to his fair skin. She forced her eyes to ignore his impressive build. His hair was a mess, and he was rubbing his eyes. She wondered if she'd woken him up... It took him a minute to register what exactly was in front of him and when he did, he blinked, eyes widening.

"Granger…? What are you…?" he trailed off, having no need to finish his question as his eyes raked over her in confusion.

Hermione took a deep breath before licking her lips, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I think that you and I should…have sex," she rushed out the last part.

Malfoy's eyes widened even farther if that were possible, eyebrows raised in shock. He leaned his head forward a bit, as if trying to hear better.

"Granger, this joke is going right over my head. Help me understand the humor-."

"I'm not joking. _I want to have sex with you_ ," she repeated.

She noted that it was easier to get the words out the second time around. He let out a soft, deep chuckle, showcasing his perfect teeth as he leaned against the door frame. He crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles on full display as he crossed one leg over the other. He suddenly smirked.

"Oh, really…"

"Yes, really."

He tilted his head a bit.

"And why is that, if you don't mind me asking…?"

Hermione huffed in annoyance at his mocking tone.

"I am the Brightest Witch of My Age. I am the top student in this school. It just makes no sense to me that when it comes to a matter as _trivial_ as sex…," she scoffed the word "…I know next to nothing about it. I don't like that," she explained.

Malfoy straightened up and dropped his arms as he looked at her in an entirely new light.

"You're serious, aren't you?" he asked in awed shock.

"Of course, I'm serious. I wouldn't joke about something like this," she scoffed.

Malfoy took a step forward, smirk back in place.

"And…what if I say no…?," he asked, voice lowering.

"Then I'll go find someone else," she began, missing the way his eyes hardened "…I don't want to, but I will. I may be…somewhat desperate, but I'm not going to beg you to have sex with me, Malfoy. I do have _some_ dignity. It just seems to me that you'd want to keep quiet about this just as much as I. Besides, I've heard things and it makes sense to me that if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it with someone who…knows their way around the bedroom," she finished with a shrug.

He let out a husky laugh.

"You mean if you're going to do this you'd rather get the best. Practical as always, Granger."

She sighed.

"You know exactly what girls say about you, Malfoy. Don't get cocky," she sneered.

He chuckled again.

"It's simply a yes or no," she said.

He stared at her for a while with that damned smirk, making her a little more than uncomfortable. He had an unreadable expression on his face and Hermione assumed the worst. Her heart sank. He was going to say no…

"You know what, I shouldn't have-"

"Okay."

She looked up at him in caution.

"What?" she whispered.

He nodded as he bit his lip.

"I said, okay. I'll have sex with you…"

She stared in shock as he backed up, widening the door for her to come in. She glanced around and brushed a stray curl behind her ear before staring into the dark abyss that was his room. His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as he stood beside the door, waiting for her to come in. She swallowed before walking inside, the shadows engulfing her just before his room door slammed shut.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I must say that I was flustered the entire time I wrote this. It's short, yes, but I'd like to think of it as a gift to the followers of mine who have kept up with all of my stories and got no smut!**

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 **WARNING:**

 **SMUT SMUT NOTHING BUT SMUT!**

* * *

 _"Okay."_

 _She looked up at him in caution._

 _"What," she whispered._

 _He nodded as he bit his lip._

 _"I said, okay. I'll have sex with you…"_

 _She stared in shock as he backed up, widening the door for her to come in. She glanced around and brushed a stray curl behind her ear before staring into the dark abyss that was his room. His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as he stood beside the door, waiting for her to come in. She swallowed before walking inside, the shadows engulfing her just before his room door slammed shut._

* * *

The only light in the room came from the moon, its light shining through the balcony doors. She tightened the towel around her damp skin as she looked around, taking it all in. The setup of the Heads' rooms was the same, but Malfoy's room was a stark contrast to her own. Where her room was bright with neutral tans and green, his was dark. The bedding was dark, furniture...dark. The atmosphere itself was just dark. Actually, as Hermione did a double take she realized that it wasn't dark per say, just…sensual. Was it possible for a room to ooze sexual appeal? She confirmed that his bedding was pure silk as she ran her hand over it.

"A little eager, aren't we?"

She looked up at him, not realizing that he had come to stand so close to her. She could feel the heat emanating off of him as he looked down at her, eyes penetrating.

"Shut up, Malfoy. I was simply…seeing what kind of material it was," she said with a shrug.

She shuddered as he came to stand behind her and brushed her hair over her shoulder, his fingers trailing across her skin. She gasped as his lips grazed her ear.

"You would have found out soon enough, anyway," he whispered.

She went to walk forward, but he snaked his arm around her waist, halting her.

"You're not backing out now, are you?" he quietly asked.

"No-"

"Good, because I wouldn't let you anyway," he darkly responded as he let go of her, walking to the other side of the bed.

She fidgeted and glanced around the room once more as he became preoccupied with his nightstand.

"By the way…I think we can progress to a first name basis, don't you?"

His deep voice echoed throughout the room.

"Uh-"

"After all, the idea of you screaming my first name is much more appealing than you screaming my last…," he huskily continued as he glanced up at her through hooded eyes.

Hermione felt her face flush as a warm feeling traveled down her stomach only to settle in between her legs. _Oh_ … She cleared her throat.

"You're awfully…sure of yourself," she shakily responded.

He chuckled, and she tightened her arms over her chest.

"Besides, what makes you think I'll scream at all?" she asked, eyebrow raised, challenging her dorm mate.

He simply smirked as he brushed past her and exited his room, his light chuckle following after him. She looked at the open doorway in confusion as she heard him messing around in the kitchenette. He returned not two minutes later with a large glass filled with water. The door shut behind him, the lock clicking in place as he gestured to her with it before going to set it on his nightstand.

"Um…thank you, but I'm not thirsty," she said in confusion as he made his way back over to her.

He exhaled as he settled his hands on her waist, looking down at her from beneath his lashes, eyes swimming with brazen hunger.

" _You will be_ …"

Before Hermione could even respond to such a statement, he pushed her into a sitting position on the edge of his bed. His fingers danced along her legs before pausing on her knees long enough to gently pull them apart. Hermione's breath began to come out in gasps as he stood in between her legs. She was in Draco Malfoy's room, sitting on his bed wearing nothing but a flimsy towel while he stood in between her heated legs. She was going to have sex with Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy was going to have sex with…her.

"Wait," she breathed.

He paused, looking at her with a raised eyebrow, expectant.

"Why did you agree to this?" she whispered.

"What kind of question is that?"

"An important one. I'm…Hermione Granger. I'm no Daphne Greengrass and definitely no Lavender Brown. So, I'm asking you… Why did you agree to this?" she repeated.

His fingers began to trail up her side, causing her to squirm. He smirked at this.

"You may be the best mate of my number one enemy in this school and yes, you may be an insufferable know-it-all nine times out of ten, but you are an attractive female who's offering me sex...come on," he answered.

She stared at him with a frown, skeptical.

"What? You don't believe me?," he whispered with a mischievous grin.

Before she knew what was happening he was suddenly on his knees, her feet within his hands.

"You have the most adorable and softest feet," he began.

She scoffed. Feet couldn't be attractive… She suddenly shuddered as his hand slithered its way up her leg.

"Your legs are so firm and long. I wonder what they'd feel like around my waist…," he mused.

He suddenly jerked her towards him as he stood and folded her legs around his waist, pressing the lower part of his body against her own. She unconsciously let out a soft moan as he ground himself into her, the bulge beneath his pants pressing against the most sensitive part of her. Hermione was taken aback. She'd never felt anything like this and neither one of them were even naked yet.

"Your eyes hold so much knowledge, and I bet you could really do some damage once I teach you a thing or two," he continued as he wrapped his hands in her hair before yanking on it, exposing her neck.

She gasped and panted as he slowly slipped his other hand underneath her towel and ran it up the expanse of her stomach.

"Your skin is as soft as it looks, you know," he huskily whispered.

His hand continued its journey, forcing her towel loose, exposing her stomach and chest as the towel fell around her.

"It glows in the moonlight. It looks so inviting…"

He pressed his free hand into her stomach.

"…so tempting…"

He leaned forward.

"…so delicious," purred just before sinking his teeth into the skin of her neck.

Hermione let out a surprised shriek just before she felt him slide a finger inside of her. She hadn't realized how... _ready_ her body had gotten, and she squirmed as he worked himself between her legs. She gripped his arm as he ran his tongue across her neck. She rocked against his fingers as his lips hovered over her own.

"And your lips look _so_ … _fucking_ … _kissable_ ," he growled before claiming her lips with his own.

Hermione had never been kissed like this before in her life. The way Draco's lips moved over her own was… _indescribable_. It was as if he was trying to suck her very soul from in between her lips. As his fingers continued to move inside of her, she felt an unfamiliar pressure building in her gut.

"Cum for me, Hermione," he huskily whispered against her lips.

She softly screamed into his mouth as wave after wave crashed over her. Hermione had never known pleasure like this. She had never imagined pleasure like this. Her mind was a jumbled mess, and she could have sworn that she actually saw stars. Draco took this lovely opportunity to slip his tongue in between her preoccupied lips, extracting a moan from her. She vaguely noted that his legs and hips were moving, probably getting rid of his bottoms. Her suspicions were confirmed when his pelvis returned to her own and there was nothing in the way of their skin. Right now, in this very room she was no longer Hermione and he no longer Draco. He was a man preparing to claim her, a woman, in the most basic and animalistic of ways. And that was exactly what he did…

He pulled away from her, his lips parting from her own, leaving her dazed. He propped himself up on one hand as he reached down with his other. His eyes glowed with intensity and a savage craving as he leaned his face closer to hers as he whispered his final words before showing Hermione a world she never knew existed.

"And your body…is so…"

He lined himself up, teasing her.

"…damn…"

Her heart beat like it was on crack. _This might hurt_ …

 _"…dangerous_."

They never looked back.

* * *

Hermione could hear a bird chirping outside on the balcony. That was the very first thing she noted as her senses and awareness came back to her. She wiggled her toe, appreciating the cool air as it poked out from beneath the silk sheets. She frowned in her half-awake state. Silk…sheets. _Silk sheets_? She forced her eyes open and swallowed. She felt so…satiated. It was a new feeling and she found that she liked it. She stretched, but immediately halted as she realized that the movement was painful. _Painful?_

She blew some stray curls out of her face as she turned her head to the side, looking to take in her surroundings. She blinked in shock as she came face to face with the sleeping face of none other than Draco Malfoy. His fair hair covered his forehead and part of his eye as his chest rose and fell. She let out a soft "oh" as everything came back to her, face heating up at the memories.

.

.

.

 _The sounds coming from Hermione's mouth did not sound like her, that was for sure, but there was nothing she could do about that. Draco was simply good at what he did. She repeatedly let out loud, unfamiliar moans as Draco thrust into her heated core again and again. Her body shook with nothing but pure pleasure while he pinned her wrists beside her head, firmly in control._

 _"Dr-Draco," she whimpered as he pushed his knees underneath her thighs, forcing her legs back, hitting her at an entirely new angle._

 _._

 _._

 _._

Hermione forced herself into a sitting position and looked at the bruises on her arms and wrists. Any other person who looked at her would immediately assume the worst, but Hermione knew better. Draco had a domineering personality, and apparently, that extended to the bedroom…

.

.

.

 _She panted, her breath hitting the pillow as Draco paid special attention to the back and side of her neck, his lips and teeth never staying in one place for too long. His hips connected with her back side with vigor, the sound echoing throughout the room as his fingers wrapped around her forearm and wrist. The entire front of her body was pressed into the mattress, Draco's legs tangled around her own._

 _._

 _._

 _._

Hermione flushed as she recalled how… _attentive_ he had been…

...

 _She stared up at the ceiling, mouth open and back arched as Draco's tongue went to work in between her thighs. In and out, twisting, teeth nipping and fingers pinching. Her fingers wound themselves in his hair, her body squirming as she let out soft and long mewling noises that echoed throughout the room. She closed her eyes and chanted his name, reaching a crescendo as that now familiar pressure began to build. She whined in protest when he pulled away._

 _"Hermione," he purred, his breath fanning over her skin, causing her to twitch._

 _She looked down through fogged eyes and watched as he leaned back down, his mouth reconnecting with her, his eyes never leaving hers the entire time._

 _._

 _._

 _._

She swallowed, throat thick with emotion, as she thought back on the intimacy of it all...

.

.

.

 _Hermione could do nothing but let out breathy moans and gasp for breath as Draco hovered over her, his knees pressed into the mattress and her leg over his shoulder. His thumb found its way into her mouth before his hand traveled down to her neck, fingers curving around the back, thumb pressed against the front. She moaned as he slowed down, slowly plunging into her at an agonizing pace. She wasn't sure which she preferred, to be honest._

 _She moaned into his mouth as he leaned down, pressing his lips against hers, forcing her leg back._

 _"See, I can be a gentle lover too," he whispered against her lips._

 _All Hermione could do was nod in agreement and he chuckled at this, the throaty sound going straight to her core. She could feel her climax approaching. Draco, probably sensing it too due to her change in breathing, slowed down almost to a nonexistent pace._

 _"What-"_

 _"I'll let you cum…"_

 _He kissed her chin then her neck then her chest before moving back up to her lips._

 _"If you say you're mine," he whispered._

 _She nodded without hesitation._

 _"You don't belong in anyone else's bed but mine-"_

 _"Yes, yes," she hurriedly agreed._

 _She would have said "Slytherin rules" just to get him to continue. She moaned as he began to move again, rising back up onto his knees, hand wrapped around her ankle. A dark look crossed over his features as he bared his teeth._

 _"Who do you belong to?"_

 _"You," she gasped as his hips slammed against hers._

 _"Who makes you moan like this? Scream like this? **Squirm** like this," he sneered, frowning at the thought of her being underneath anyone else._

 _"You, you," she moaned._

 _He let go of her leg, wrapping them around his waist instead and pressed his chest against hers._

 _"Who makes you feel like this?"_

 _"You do," she breathed._

 _He reached up and tangled his fingers into her hair, pulling, exposing her neck as he looked into her eyes._

 _"And what is my name," he purred._

 _"Draco."_

 _She could feel it building._

 _"Say it again," he hissed._

 _"Draco," she panted, heart beating faster._

 _"Again," he whispered against her skin._

 _"Draco, Draco," she moaned._

 _He bit into the crook of her neck, the pain sending her over the edge._

 _"Again," he growled into her flesh._

 _"Draco," she cried, clenching around him as they rode the wave out together._

 _._

 _._

 _._

Hermione tightened the sheet around her and glanced over at the empty glass on the floor, remembering how greedily she gulped the water down. Draco had been right after all…

.

.

.

 _Draco rolled off of her, both of them gasping for breath, bodies sticky with sweat. Hermione felt like she was on a high. She reached up to touch his chest as he leaned over her before handing her the glass of water. He wound his arm around her, helping her sit up just enough to gulp down the water, droplets escaping onto her chin. Draco leaned over and licked away the stray droplets._

 _"Need some more," he asked with a chuckle._

 _She shook her head, too tired to do anything more._

 _"Good," he said as he grabbed her and pulled her into his lap, the forgotten dish rolling onto the floor with a ping._

 _"You can't be serious?" she incredulously asked._

 _"As a heart attack," he replied, sliding her down onto him._

 _She threw her head back, a groan climbing out of her throat._

 _..._

Hermione slowly slid out of bed, before glancing at the towel strewn on the floor. She didn't want to take his sheet. That would be impolite. She bent down, wincing, before wrapping the towel around her. She looked down with a frown. This hardly covered anything. How on earth had she gathered the courage to approach him in this last night? With a sigh she slipped on his pants, vowing to return them to him.

She made her way to the door, looking over her shoulder at his sleeping figure. He looked really peaceful, almost innocent, in his sleep, a contrast from last night. She turned around and gripped the handle, being as quiet as possible.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She jumped and spun around, her eyes meeting his as he sat up in bed. She flushed as his eyes raked over her disheveled form.

"I was just…leaving. I figure this is how it normally goes…," she trailed off.

She gulped as he slid out of bed, leaving the sheet behind, stalking towards her in all of his naked glory.

"Normally, I would kick you out before the night even ends," he said.

"Really?" she said in shock, frowning.

That was awfully rude…

"Consider yourself an exception…"

She blinked, not knowing how to feel about that.

"Um…well thanks. And thank you for…you…," she awkwardlt gestured to the bed "…you know, the uh the s-sex."

He chuckled, pressing himself against her and her into the door, his arms caging her in.

"You were just going to leave without a proper goodbye?" he asked, voice dropping, eyes hooded.

She swallowed in anticipation as he tugged his pants out of her hand. They were huge on her anyway so they simply dropped to her ankles.

"Is that…rude?" she quietly asked as he ripped the towel off of her.

"Very," he snarled, just before gripping her backside.

He lifted her, forcing her legs around his waist and pressed her back against the door. Her moans could be heard all the way in the common area…

* * *

 **...Let me know what you think**


	3. Chapter 3

**No, I have not forgotten about M &M. Patience is a virtue, lol. I stated in the first chapter that this might be an AU because I didn't want to mention Voldemort or the war at all, but a lovely reviewer has changed my mind. This is officially post-war, "seventh" year. Obviously things have been changed for the sake of this story. This chapter is more of a filler chapter. Be prepared next chapter.**

* * *

Hermione fixed her ponytail before grabbing her schoolbag, smoothing down her skirt as she looked in the mirror. She blew out a breath… Even though her mind kept telling her that it was ridiculous, she couldn't help but think that everyone would know. They'd take one look at her and know. She felt like it was written on her forehead. She didn't look any different. She felt…different, a good kind of different. Is this what it was normally like? She shook her head. She didn't know much about sex, but she had a feeling that it wasn't normally like that. After all, she'd heard Harry and Ron's conversations. From what she gathered the longest Ron ever… _lasted_ was ten minutes. Draco had taken her many times, well into the night, and much more yesterday.

She and Draco had skipped class yesterday, opting to stay in bed instead. A bed which she did not leave until this morning actually. It was a rather…comfortable bed. Much more comfortable than hers she had to admit. Forcing herself to leave the bed was one thing, but convincing Draco to actually _let_ her leave was something else entirely. He was surprisingly possessive in the bedroom and she found herself wondering was that normal? Once she finally did leave it though, her legs felt like Jell-O. She flushed at the memories, opening her door and exiting her room. Draco had left before her, not wanting to arouse suspicion.

As she made her way down the corridors and stairs, there was a new spring in her step. Was it like this for Ginny? Harry? Ron? If so, Hermione could somewhat wrap her head around becoming addicted to this. She felt…alive. And it was noticeable. She didn't realize, but she was glowing with a newfound excitement and confidence. As she entered the Great Hall girls noticed and boys definitely noticed, especially her best friends.

"Where were you, yesterday," Ron asked with a suspicious frown.

This was what greeted her as she sat down at the table.

"Good morning to you, too, Ronald," Hermione said, chipper.

"That's what he meant," Harry said as he cut his eyes to his friend.

"Seriously, where were you," Ron questioned.

"I wasn't feeling well. I had a bit of a stomach ache, but I'm much better now," she answered.

"You do look brighter than usual," Harry noted.

"Now that I think about it, the ferret wasn't here at all either," Ron mused.

"Really? He was probably out, off school grounds somewhere. I stayed in my dorm all day and I didn't see him at all…"

She glanced up as said person waltzed into the Great Hall and took his seat at the Slytherin table. She frowned… He had left before her. She shook her head, deciding that it was none of her business as to where he had gone. His eyes immediately found hers, as if he knew where she was all along, and she looked away with a blush as a slow smirk made its way onto his lips. At this rate, her face would permanently remain red. She blinked as Ron pressed the back of his hand against her cheek.

"You feeling okay? You're flushed…"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just remembered some homework I forgot to finish," she lamely responded.

Harry dropped his fork and frowned at her.

" _You_ forgot to finish your homework," he slowly questioned.

"It happens," she said with a shrug.

"Not to you," Ron added, incredulous.

"There's a first time for everything, Ronald."

Her red haired friend simply shrugged before returning his attention to his food. Harry on the other hand continued to frown at her before following where she had glanced before her face grew all heated. He stared at the Slytherin table in question before shaking his head.

* * *

"Harry, we need to talk," Hermione said as she cornered him in the corridor after class.

Ron had gotten himself into trouble, landing him in Headmistress McGonagall's office. This left Harry and she to themselves for once. Harry looked at her in concern.

"Uh…sure, Hermione. What's wrong?"

She gripped his arm, pulling them away from the students and into a secluded corner. She sighed before folding her arms over her chest. She had given this a lot of thought. Ginny hadn't showed up to breakfast this morning and she hadn't seen the redhead all day. Hermione had to do something…

"Ginny is going to kill me for this, but…why didn't you just tell her the truth when you broke up with her?"

Harry swallowed, eyes wide, caught off guard.

"What-"

"You know what I'm talking about. Don't you understand that if you had just been honest she could have gotten over you? Do you realize that she spent forever thinking this whole thing was her fault?"

"Of course it's not her fault! She's great," Harry exclaimed, confused.

"And she was supposed to know this how," Hermione demanded.

Harry sighed before falling against the wall, hair falling into his face. A forlorn expression passed over his features.

"I didn't want to hurt her. I didn't want her to be mad," he whispered.

Hermione scoffed.

"Could you be any more of a guy right now? The girl has been in love with you for years. Probably since she first set her eyes on you and you break up with her out of nowhere. She was going to be upset no matter what reason you gave. At least with the truth, she could have moved on a lot quicker than she is now-"

"Is she…is she okay," he desperately asked.

Hermione chuckled, humorlessly, in disbelief. It was obvious that he still cared about Ginny very much, but not enough to stop chasing tail. She shook her head.

"Is she okay? Harry, you and your freckle faced sidekick haven't even noticed that she has been skipping classes. You haven't even noticed that we're lucky if we see her in the Great Hall once a week. She's not eating properly and she's in a fatigued state half the time. I'm really worried. I wouldn't be here discussing this with you if I weren't."

"She's…she's _that bad_ ," Harry quietly asked, eyes troubled.

"Of course, flaunting your pick of the week in front of her every time she's around doesn't help," she snapped.

He groaned with realization, banging his head against the wall.

"I…I wasn't even thinking about that. I hadn't even noticed. I-"

"Didn't think? Yeah, I noticed. These days, you and Ron seem to be doing the thinking with only one part of your body," she sneered.

He glared up at her.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Hermione. Everyone knows you fancied, Ron…"

Hermione felt her face flush in anger. She had no excuse for what she said next, other than her emotions getting the best of her, but Harry had really struck a nerve. What he said was out of line and none of his business…

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous? Yeah, I liked Ron, but guess what? I got over it. Besides, you two aren't the only ones with personal lives, you know."

Harry frowned as she straightened up.

"What does that mean," he demanded.

Hermione's eyes widened, realizing what she had just said. She exhaled before looking him in the eye.

"Nothing. It just means that, from now on, you two can't always expect me to be there to help you with your homework," she told him before turning around and walking down the stairs.

* * *

Hermione jumped as a book slammed down on the table in front of her. She looked up from her work to face the red eyes of Ginny Weasley. Her face was flushed, hair thrown up into a messy bun, and dressed in regular lounging clothes. The look on her face was one that could kill.

"Ginny-"

"I know," she hissed.

Hermione's eyes widened as she stood. How?

"Wha-How-"

"I know about your little _discussion_ with Harry yesterday."

Hermione mentally sighed in relief, but immediately tensed up again as she registered Ginny's words. Hermione looked at her best friend guiltily, not exactly sure where to start. She pressed the palms of her hands together, pressing them to her trembling lips.

"Ginny…please, _please_ try to look at this from my point of view…," she quietly began, not wanting to cause a scene in the library.

"I have been _so worried_ -"

"I don't care! I asked you…I _begged_ you not to say anything," she snarled.

"I know, I know and-"

"If you know then why did you do it," the other girl shrieked.

Hermione looked around, noticing curious students looking around the shelves, trying to see about the commotion. _Where was Madam Pince when you actually needed her?_ Hermione's heart sped up as she realized just how upset Ginny was. She couldn't lose her too…

"You know, he came to me out of nowhere with this _heartfelt_ apology. Yeah, going on and on about his behavior and how inconsiderate and rude he's been. Made it seem as if he had this oh so _perfect_ moment of clarity. As if the clouds parted, revealing bright skies and the sun shone, making everything clear to him," Ginny quietly sneered, eyes watering.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry-"

"No, but I knew better. I knew who was responsible for this sudden change in behavior," Ginny spat.

Hermione said nothing. Ginny _had_ asked her not to say anything. She was sure that she'd be upset too. Hermione looked down, holding back a sob before meeting her friend's eyes.

"What can I do? What can I do to make this better," Hermione finally asked.

"You can start by staying away from me. You can leave me be to handle this breakup in my own way, not the perfect little Hermione Granger way. I'm sorry that we're not all like you who never lets her emotions get in the way of anything, who is always so put together. I apologize that I'm not dealing with this how you want me to, but you need to get over it," she said before turning around and exiting the library.

Hermione stared at where Ginny once stood with shaky breaths. She had just wanted to help and she honestly didn't know what else to do. She glanced at the few students around before she hurriedly collected her things. She nearly ran out of the library, hair flying around her, tears in her eyes. She was so stupid! _Stupid, stupid, stupid_ … Ginny was no idiot! Of course she would figure out where Harry's sudden change of heart came from. She gasped as she turned the corner and ran into a rather tall figure.

Her books flew out of her hands and crashed to the floor with an echo. She sobbed as she bent down, collecting her things, and letting out jumbled apologies. It wasn't until the other person bent down to help her did she realize who she was talking to. She'd recognize those hands anywhere…after all, they _had_ been all over her. She flushed.

"M-Malfoy," she acknowledged as she looked up.

His piercing eyes caught her darker ones, an unreadable expression on his face as he handed her things to her.

"Granger," he finally whispered.

She hurriedly stood up, backing up a bit as he did the same, making her realize just how close they were. He towered over her…

"S-sorry. I wasn't watching where I was-"

"Was it the dense duo," he asked as he leaned against the cobblestone wall.

She blinked up at him as he looked down at her, hair falling onto his forehead as he tilted his head to the side.

"W-what," she asked in confusion.

He gestured to her flustered state, the drying tears on her face.

"Did they do this," he demanded.

She blinked again before shaking her head.

"We're not…friends, Malfoy. It's okay, you don't have to… Our agreement-"

"I remember our agreement. I was there," he interrupted as he took a few steps towards her.

Her heart thudded in her chest at an alarming rate as his shirt brushed against her hands. They were supposed to be pretending like nothing happened. They sucked at it…

"Doesn't mean I can't be curious."

"Well…no. It was Ginny, but it was my fault, really. I did something really, really stupid," she whispered.

He chuckled, reaching up to finger the hidden hickey on her neck.

"More stupid than falling into my bed," he huskily whispered.

Hermione closed her eyes with a sigh, enjoying the feeling of his fingers on her before she stumbled back with a shake of her head. No… She opened her eyes only to find him staring at her as if she were naked. In his mind, she probably was. She gulped.

"I wouldn't call that stupid, just…impulsive. Either way it was a conscious decision I made and I rarely make mistakes…"

"Until just recently," he added.

She sighed.

"Yes, until just recently."

Draco shrugged.

"She weasel will get over it."

"How do you know?"

"Because you're her best friend. Whatever it was, she'll get over it," he repeated.

"Thank you…I needed that," she said.

They descended into an awkward silence where his eyes never left her and she pretended to not notice. She looked up as he walked towards her, backing her against the wall, arms caging her in. She clutched her books to her chest, face heating up as he leaned in.

"I can't…I can't stop thinking about that night," he whispered.

She swallowed, heart attempting to jump out of her chest.

"Draco," she warned, looking around.

He gripped her hips, pulling them against his own. She gasped as he pressed his chest against hers. She looked up at him in anticipation as he leaned down, lips trembling. She was startled as he suddenly let her go and backed up with a chuckle.

"I'm just fucking with you, Granger."

She flushed and glared up at him with a frown. That wasn't very nice…

"By the way, get some tougher skin. You don't look so hot when you cry," he mocked before rounding the corner.

* * *

Hermione chewed on her lip as she replayed yesterday's incident in her mind. She had long given up on paying attention to the professor, it was no use. Draco had almost kissed her. Well, he was joking actually, but still. She was actually going to let him…wasn't she? No, she would have stopped him in time…right? She shook her head. She was supposed to be acting like nothing had happened. Although, that was much easier said than done.

She ran her hands through her hair as students began to rise, exiting the classroom. She had made it very clear that this was a _onetime_ thing, no matter how much she may have wanted differently, if she was being honest. She hadn't really given _that_ much thought to that night and the day following. Her body tingled as she recalled the memories, though. Draco was definitely…skilled in the bedroom. She found herself frowning as she thought about just how he had gotten that skilled. That was a lot of experience…

She shook the thoughts from her head. It didn't matter how he had gotten that experience. Besides, it came in handy on her part. Hermione couldn't imagine having a better first time than that. Sure, there was pain at first, a lot of it, naturally. His method resembled more of the Band-Aid method; just rip it off. Draco had been surprisingly patient about waiting it out though until she was comfortable. Never in a million years would she have imagined that she and Draco Malfoy would have a roll in the sack. A fantastic, mind-blowing, toe-curling roll in the sack...

She cleared her throat as she finally stood, collecting her books and slinging her bag over her shoulder. She had to forget about how it made her feel to be beneath him, his lithe form pushing her over the brink of ecstasy again and again. She shook her head again. It couldn't ever happen again. She was so focused on getting out of class that she didn't even notice the person standing by the aisle, waiting for her to exit.

Her eyes widened in shock as they clashed with a pair of onyx colored ones. His school uniform was perfectly in place, not a wrinkle in sight, complementing his darker skin perfectly. He, like Malfoy, too towered over her as he looked down at her with the most dazzling smile, head tilted in a childlike way. He stood before her in all of his tall, dark, and handsome glory.

"Zabini," she acknowledged in shock.

"Hermione," he greeted, her name rolling off of his tongue like water.

She didn't realize that they were on a first name basis…

"I figured if I should ask you out, I should do it properly," he stated, as if reading her thoughts.

She nodded, agreeing with his logic before his words finally registered. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Wha…"

"Walk with me," he said, nodding towards the door, making it impossible for her to refuse.

She reluctantly followed along with him as he made his way into the somewhat crowded corridor. Students watched as the Slytherin and Gryffindor walked side by side through the crowd. Even after the war, there was still animosity between the Slytherin and Gryffindor houses. Hermione didn't agree with this at all and neither did McGonagall, one of the main reasons she had appointed she and Draco as Heads. At least, this was what she told Hermione…

Hermione could see the back of her friends' heads up ahead, deep in conversation as they walked. She hoped that they would not catch onto the sudden change in atmosphere and look around. She glanced up at Zabini in all of his glory.

"I'd like to take you out," he repeated.

Hermione looked up at him with an open mouth, not exactly sure how to respond. She was flattered, yes, but…

"I…I don't know about that. Dating isn't really my thing," she replied with a blush.

 _No, you much prefer one night stands with blond haired Slytherins, correct?_

"I must warn you, I can be _very_ charming…and persuasive. Your efforts of rejection are futile," he joked.

Hermione found herself smiling against her will before glancing around. She noticed that Harry and Ron were looking over their shoulders at her as they walked. She wasn't exactly sure what she was trying to prove. Maybe she wanted to show them that she did things that didn't always involve the two of them or books. Or maybe she just wanted them to feel like they were losing her like she felt like she was losing them…

"Okay. Since anything other than yes will be futile, you've got yourself a date," she replied.

She flushed as he smiled down at her. He looked as if she had just made his day…

"Great."

"When-."

"I'll surprise you," he whispered as he lifted her hand and brought it to his lips.

Her eyes widened at his bold behavior before he walked down the corridor, past her friends, leaving her there in a mixture of confusion and awe. She finally began to walk through the crowd of students.

"Hermione…?" Harry questioned

"What," she asked, deciding to just play it off.

"What was that about? What did he want," Ron asked.

"Oh," she said as if just realizing what they were referring to.

She shrugged as she began to walk, the two of them closely following.

"He was just asking me out, that's all."

The two of them nodded, but immediately stopped once they realized what she had just said. She was brought to a halt by Ron, his fingers wrapped around her arm.

"What," he hissed.

She raised an eyebrow, glancing down at his hand and back up to his face. He got the hint and immediately released her. Harry moved to stand in front of her, an almost constipated expression upon his face.

"I'm sorry…what did you say," he demanded.

"He asked me out," she slowly repeated as if talking to a toddler.

"Why would he ask _you_ out?"

Hermione cut her eyes to Ron with a threatening expression. The nerve of him!

"I think what Ron means is-"

"Is that I'm so undesirable that no guy could ever find me visually appealing?"

"No," they both began to protest.

"It's just…he's _Zabini_. Right up there with the likes of Malfoy. You don't find this odd? You don't think that he might have ulterior motives," Harry asked.

"Of course I have, but it's a date, Harry. I mean, what can he possibly do?"

"Take advantage of you," Ron yelled.

"Take advantage of me? As if I'm not of decent age to make decisions for myself. Trust me, anything that happens is going to happen with my consent," she replied.

"Hermione, why would you even agree to this," Harry asked.

"Because he was very gentlemanly about it and quite funny too. I would have felt awfully rude for turning him down. Contrary to what you think I happen to know that he is in fact nothing like Malfoy. He's a decent guy and smart too. I'm sure we'll have many stimulating conversations," she answered.

"Yeah, because that's what every guy wants…a stimulating conversation," Ron scoffed.

Hermione sighed. The corridor was practically empty now.

"Hermione…guys like him only want one thing…," Harry began.

"Yes, yes…of course you would know that," she replied, coolly staring at him.

Harry straightened.

"This isn't about me…or Ronald."

"Then what is this about because I'm confused and I feel like we're wasting time. He asked me out and I said yes. Big deal," she said in exasperation.

Of course, Hermione knew that it was in fact a big deal.

"It is a big deal!"

"Why, Ronald? Why is it a big deal?"

"B-because you…you don't… I mean-"

"What Ron is trying to say is that you don't usually socialize in this manner. It's just…odd," Harry explained.

Hermione scoffed, humored.

"Well, what did you expect, for me to stay cooped up in the library and my bedroom for the rest of my life? Nothing but my books to keep me company? This had to start sometime…"

"Yes, we know, but-"

"Honestly, you guys are acting like my parents. In fact, you're acting worse than my parents," she interrupted.

Ron fumed with anger.

"And you are acting like a child! What do you plan to do when he eventually wants something in return? Huh," Ron hinted.

Hermione nonchalantly shrugged.

"I don't know," she said.

She swore that she saw Ron's eye twitch. My, this _was_ amusing…

"You don't know," Harry hissed.

"No. It would depend upon the third or fourth date which would depend upon the second which will depend on the first," she explained.

The two of them looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Of course, Hermione had no plans to actually sleep with Zabini, but who knew…

"You can't be serious. Hermione…you wouldn't actually sleep with him, would you," Harry quietly asked, disbelieving.

"Why not," she asked.

"Because you can't-"

"Am I not allowed to…father?"

"No, I mean…you can do whatever you want, but all sorts of risks come along with-"

"Yes, I know. I'm a big girl, Harry. I know all about contraceptives, never mind the fact that I'm a smart girl. You really think I would risk something like pregnancy getting in the way of my future? I don't think so," she interrupted.

"But you can't…," Harry trailed off.

"Why not," she chuckled.

"Because you just can't! You can't sleep with anybody," Ron snapped, finally at his breaking point.

He had stood back and stared at her, red in the face for the past few minutes, growing angrier and angrier. She turned her even stare onto him.

"Why? You and Harry do. Why can't I," she threw at him.

This stumped the two of them as they stared at her, lost for words.

"That's…different," Ron finally lamely responded.

"How," she inquired.

She wondered what excuse they would possibly give…

"Because you're…not ready for something like that. You've never-"

"Says who," she threw out into the atmosphere.

The words lingered there, swimming around in their minds, the implication behind them clear.

"Says who, you two? Are you two now experts on my social life? I didn't think so."

She sighed.

"Look, I understand your concern and I appreciate it, but this isn't really any of your business. I was honest with you guys about the date because…well, I thought you'd be happy for me. The two of you go all out congratulating each other when you score dates. I just thought it'd be the same for me… I guess not. This conversation is officially over. I have nothing else to say-"

"I do," Ron snapped.

"Well, I have no more interest of listening. I've got to go. I have homework that I need to get started on. Bye…"

She gave them one last look before walking down the corridor.

* * *

"Congratulations."

She looked up just as the portrait shut behind her. Draco was sitting on the couch, hunched over the table, parchment and books covering the surface.

"On what," she questioned in confusion.

He looked up at her from underneath his lashes.

"Heard Blaise asked you out."

"Oh! Where did you hear that?"

He shrugged as he stood, stretching out his muscles. She glanced away as the bottom of his shirt lifted slightly.

"Around. It's all anyone's talking about," he explained.

"Oh, well, it's nothing. It's just a date," she brushed off as he walked towards her.

"You sure about that? Blaise can be quite persuasive with the ladies," he waggled his eyebrows.

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself just fine. Besides, who says that I'll need any persuading," she teased.

She chuckled as he frowned at her.

"What? Are you jealous," she innocently mocked as she brushed past him, knowing that he wasn't.

She heard him scoff.

"Hardly. Blaise has nothing on me…"

She turned around to face him.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to see about that."

Draco stared at her for a bit with a sour look on his face before chuckling.

"I don't like this," he said with a shake of his head.

"What?"

He motioned to her with his hand.

" _This_. Merlin, I'm actually regretting my influence on somebody," he explained.

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm just kidding. I'm not going to be sleeping with anyone else anytime soon. Geez…you're almost as bad as Ron and Harry," she said as she walked up to her room, missing the way Draco's eyes hardened as he stared at her back.

* * *

 **A certain phrase at the end of this was inspired by a particular episode of _Gilmore Girls_. Don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I told myself that I wasn't going to do this, but oh well. There was a review that rubbed me the wrong way. I'm sure they didn't mean for it to, but it did. Let's get one thing straight; please don't presume to assume that you know what I'm going to do with my story. Having your own theories and trying to guess whats going to happen next is fine. I enjoy that. What I don't enjoy is someone telling me that they 'hope I can do better than blah, blah, blah'. The review made it seem like this person had my story all figured out and they were ready to throw in the towel because of something that they assume is going to happen. Not that I have to explain myself to anyone, but there will be absolutely no love triangles in this story. Three of my stories already have love triangles, so believe me when I say that Worst Mistake will have none of that. And if I want to do love triangles I can because, hey, guess what? It's my story.**

 **I promise guys I'm super nice. That just really got under my skin. Anyway, lets get on with it...**

* * *

They walked along the street of Hogsmeade, weaving past talkative and hurried students. The sound of excitement and overzealousness buzzed around them as they talked, Hermione's head tilted up and Blaise's tilted down. The two of them were so wrapped up in their conversation that they did not take note of the fact that students parted for them like the Red Sea as they walked. This was done subconsciously of course. The two of them together gave off this authoritative vibe that demanded respect. The two of them had already eaten, engaging in the longest conversation ever about Herbology while doing so. Blaise had an impressive basis of knowledge about plants. Hermione was impressed. Now he was telling her a story about his mum and her latest husband.

"So I'm standing here, thinking I'm going mental because there's this strange half naked man in our kitchen. I quickly come to my senses and realize that there _is_ in fact some half naked man in our kitchen. So, what do I do? I curse him," he shrugged.

"Oh, no," Hermione laughed, covering her mouth.

"Yeah, he's on the floor twitching and screaming. Mum runs in and screams at me like I did something wrong. How was I supposed to know?"

"So that's the story of how you met-"

"Father number eight."

Hermione abruptly stopped and turned to look at him with wide eyes. Number eight?

" _Number eight_ ," she asked.

Hermione immediately scrunched up her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

"Sorry. That was so incredibly rude of me. I didn't mean-"

Blaise laughed, cutting her off.

"It's alright. It's nothing I haven't heard before. Besides, I have the same reaction every time," he said, shrugging it off.

"Is it…it must be awfully weird to…," she trailed off, not wanting to overstep her boundaries.

"To come home to a new daddy every seven months or so? You get used to it after about the fourth one."

"I'm sorry," she found herself saying.

"It's not _that_ bad, Hermione. A new father usually equates to her paying less attention to me. Which I am more than happy with," he said.

Hermione couldn't exactly relate. She loved spending time with her parents, but she found out a long time ago that Pureblood society was a tad…different. A shop beside them caught her eye and she couldn't help the excited grin that broke out over her face.

"Do you want to go in?"

She glanced up at her date as he gestured to the bookshop. She hesitated before shaking her head.

"No. We're on a date and…well, I can get a bit carried away in there," she sheepishly replied.

Tomes and Scrolls was her favorite shop in Hogsmeade. She could stay in there for hours. Actually, she had been known to do just that on occasion. Hermione may not know a lot about dating, but she was sure that dragging your date into a bookstore wasn't exactly fun. Besides, this was why she was on this date in the first place. She was trying to prove that she was more than just…books and schoolwork. She was brought out of her thoughts by Blaise's laugh.

"You're too cute," he said before grabbing her arm and dragging her into the shop.

* * *

Hermione fingered the stack of books in her arm with awe as he walked her back to her dorm.

"You really didn't have to…"

"You wanted them. Besides, I'm trying to win you over, remember," he joked.

She looked down at the books.

"Well, consider me won," she mumbled with a blush, not intending for him to hear.

"Good," he whispered.

She looked up just in time for his lips to cover hers in an unexpected kiss. She clutched her books to her chest with one hand and laid her other on his arm. Kissing Blaise was…nice. Of course, it wasn't like she had kissed many guys. Although, kissing Draco was like kissing six different guys in one. Blaise pulled away after a few seconds. It was a quick kiss, but nice either way.

"Have a good evening, Hermione," he said as he backed away with a smirk.

"Okay. You too," she said before he turned the corner.

Hermione turned around and touched her lips, walking up the stairs with a smile. She hadn't expected the date to be so enjoyable. Her sole reason for agreeing wasn't just to prove something. She was lonely. She felt like she was slowly losing her friends and she just wanted to stop feeling sorry for herself for a bit. She just wanted to feel good for a little while and she did. She felt great. Her good feeling, however, disappeared as soon as she walked into her dorm.

She slammed the portrait shut with a tad more force than necessary. She exhaled and rubbed her temple with her free hand as Lavender practically flew off of Draco's lap. Hermione shook her head and walked down the steps. Ron was screwing Lavender's best friend and Lavender was screwing Ron's worst enemy. When had her life turned into a Soap Opera?

"We're so so-"

"I don't even care," Hermione said in exasperation as she walked past them, not sparing them a glance.

She could hear Lavender's footsteps as she ran to the door.

"Please don't tell-"

"I don't care, Lavender. It's none of my business," Hermione said, walking up the stairs.

She heard the portrait open and shut. Immediately after she heard Draco's footsteps.

"I thought you were on a date," she heard him say.

Hermione slowly turned around and looked down at him. His shirt was open, displaying a chest full of love bites.

"I was, but dates have to end some time," she snapped.

Draco shrugged.

"Excuse me. I just figured that it would go _really well_ ," he hinted, raising an eyebrow.

Hermione's mouth opened in shock as she caught on. _He is unbelievable_.

"Was the date a disaster or something," he asked.

Hermione slammed the books down onto the bannister with a loud thud before facing him again.

"You think that just because…" she flailed her hands around "…you know, that I would just fall into bed with Blaise? It was _one date_ ," she scoffed.

Draco looked at her with an unreadable expression before shrugging.

"It's Blaise," he replied as if that justified his assumption.

"So what? Besides, that doesn't give you the excuse to use our common room as your own casting couch setup," she snapped.

Draco raised an eyebrow with a slow smirk creeping onto his lips.

"What do _you_ know about the casting couch, Hermione?"

"Stop trying to change the subject. The fact of the matter is that once again you've completely disregarded how I feel about that. You don't respect me as a dorm mate should!"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"I thought me fucking your brains out was supposed to _remove_ that stick from your butt," he said.

Hermione gasped at his crude language before walking down the steps.

"Let's get one thing straight. I did what I did because I hate not knowing. It was a onetime experiment of sorts and you know that. Don't get cocky and start thinking that you have some magic snake in your pants that will completely change my morals and opinions or something. I didn't like you entertaining your guests in here before and I don't like it now. I wasn't a slag then, so I won't be one now. Got it?"

"Whatever…"

He began to turn away, but she reached out and grabbed his arm, halting all movement. He looked at her with an expression that screamed exasperation.

"No, not whatever. This is my dorm just as much as it is yours. You have to meet me halfway, understand?"

"Yeah, mum. I understand," he said.

She screamed in frustration before turning around, about to grab her books and go into her room, when Draco took a page out of her book and grabbed _her_ arm.

"So, how was the date," he asked as she turned around.

She pulled her arm out of his hand, confused. Why was Draco asking her about her date? He looked at her with a serious expression.

"It was fine," she slowly answered.

"I'm just asking because, well, it's Blaise," he repeated as if that explained everything.

"And…?"

"And it's just odd that…"

"That what," she asked.

"Just be careful," he said before turning around and walking into the kitchenette.

Hermione walked down the steps with a humorless chuckle.

"Are you worried about me? I wasn't _that_ good in bed," she said.

"Don't get so full of yourself. Believe it or not, I'm not as big of a jerk as you think. I'm just trying to do the right thing by warning you. I know what Blaise is like," he replied.

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"And what is he like," she asked.

"He gets what he wants," he deadpanned.

Hermione blinked at the implication.

"Blaise doesn't really seem like-"

"The type? Yeah, I know. It's that cute boyish smile thing you girls love so much. Look, it doesn't matter if you believe me or not, I did my part. I grew up with him so I know what I'm talking about, Hermione."

"Well, I appreciate the concern but-"

"But I can handle myself," Draco mocked, imitating her.

"Just _what_ is your problem," she questioned, placing her hands on her hips.

He turned around to face her.

"My problem is that just because you've finally gotten some dick, you think you know what you're doing. You have no idea what you're dealing with. Blaise isn't like your cookie cutter housemates, okay? He's going to get impatient and fast," Draco snapped.

"I hear you, okay? I'm not some silly bint who doesn't know how to use her wand, Draco. Besides, this isn't your concern…"

He frowned.

"So that's what I get for trying to do the right thing? It's none of my concern," he repeated.

"It's not that I'm not grateful-"

"Really? Doesn't look that way to me. You know what, if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have even had the courage to say yes to him. If I hadn't agreed to let you ride me into the sunset you'd still be walking around here with that pathetic look on your face because all of your friends are ditching you-"

"Shut up, Malfoy."

"Oh, its Malfoy again, is it?'

He walked towards her, forcing her to back up. His chest brushed against hers with heaving breaths as he leaned over her.

"You listen here, _Hermione_. Never forget that I am the one who took away your Virgin Mary status. I can easily make sure that this whole school doesn't forget either," he hissed.

Hermione jerked back as if he'd slapped her. She stared at him with wide eyes and gulped. They had a deal!

"You-you wouldn't do that," she whispered.

"Try me," he purred before shoving past her, almost knocking her off of her feet.

* * *

"Hermione! Hermione!"

Hermione slowed her pace with a sigh once she realized that she wouldn't be getting away from her. She turned around just as Lavender bounded up to her, face flushed and panting with shortness of breath.

"Hermione I-"

"I'm not going to tell him, Lavender," Hermione interrupted, glancing around at the busy corridor.

Lavender's shoulders sagged with the release of tension as she exhaled.

"I-I wouldn't blame you if you did, Hermione. I don't even know why-"

Lavender broke off with a sob. Hermione awkwardly looked around before grabbing Lavender's arm and pulling her into an emptier corridor. There were only about five other students walking along this one. Hermione bit her lip, not sure what to do as Lavender cried.

"I'm sorry," Lavender cried, gesturing to her flustered state.

Hermione transfigured a piece of parchment into a tissue and handed it to the blonde. Lavender took it with a quiet 'thank you'. Hermione waited for the other witch to compose herself.

"I don't even know why I went to him. I was just so upset that Ron was blowing me off and I just didn't want it to seem like all I do is wait around for him. I mean, we're not even officially together yet. How would it look if I was going around demanding to know where he was and who he's with," she sniffed.

Hermione fidgeted. She wanted so desperately to tell Lavender the truth, but it was none of Hermione's business. Hermione scratched the back of her head.

"You can…you can do so much better than Ron, Lavender. I know it may not seem like it, but it's the truth," she quietly said.

Lavender's eyes snapped to her.

"Why? What do you know," Lavender desperately asked.

"Nothing! I'm just saying-"

Lavender grabbed Hermione's arms.

"You're lying. You know something! Hermione…I-I know that we're not friends and I know that in the past I wasn't always the friendliest where Ron was concerned. Hermione I…I _really care_ about him. A lot. Just tell me," Lavender pleaded.

Hermione swallowed.

"I know that he's your friend, but from one girl to another, I am begging you…"

Hermione sighed.

"There…are others," Hermione finally said as she looked away.

She looked back when Lavender made a slight choking sound.

"Others," she squeaked.

"…yeah."

"Who," she quietly asked?

"Lavender, I answered your question. Please, don't make me-"

"Who, Hermione?"

"Look, I only know one, okay? It's not important-"

"Who is the one that you know," Lavender demanded.

Hermione exhaled before rubbing her forehead.

"Parvati," Hermione quietly answered.

She looked away again as Lavender's face crumbled.

"Parvati?"

Hermione looked down at her feet and nodded. She clutched her bag as Lavender started crying again.

"I'm really sorry, Lavender," Hermione whispered as she looked up.

"Have…have they…," she trailed off through her sobs.

Hermione, knowing exactly what she was asking, looked away. Lavender's sobs grew louder. Hermione wrapped her arm around the other girl.

"Come on…"

* * *

"I _really_ liked him, you know?"

Hermione handed Lavender a glass of water as she sat on the couch beside her. The same couch where she had found her and Draco in a rather compromising position a few days ago. Hermione discreetly put her hands in her lap and moved to the edge of her seat.

"I know," Hermione whispered.

Lavender gulped the water down and slammed it onto the coffee table.

"Parvati of all people! Gah, how cliché are we? The guy I practically love has been messing around with my best friend this whole time and I was none the wiser."

Hermione didn't exactly know how to respond to that. She couldn't relate…

"Why are you being so nice to me," Lavender suddenly asked.

Hermione turned to look at Lavender, finding the blonde girl staring at Hermione in wonder. Hermione slowly rubbed her hands together with a small sigh.

"We've had our differences, yes. However, it just seems silly to me to…be unkind to you because of something so trivial. You're hurting and I'm not the kind of person to take pleasure in your pain," Hermione answered.

"If I were in your shoes, I'm not sure that I'd do the same thing. You're decent like that, Hermione. Maybe that's why this happened to me…because I'm not decent," Lavender said with a shrug.

"No, don't say that. Bad things happen to good people all the time, Lavender."

"We both know I'm not good people. A few years back…even a few months ago, I knew how you felt about Ron. Hell, everyone knew. I didn't care, though, even if it was obvious that he'd end up with you in the end. Everyone knows it's true…"

"I don't agree with that. At one time I did, but my feelings are different now. I've…woken up, so to speak. I see Ron for what he is and I don't like it," Hermione replied as she played with her own fingers.

Lavender laughed, really laughed. Hermione looked at her in shock.

"Ron won't like that," she chuckled.

"What are you talking about?"

Lavender stared at the curly haired girl in confusion. She opened her mouth in shock.

"Oh! You don't…you don't know," Lavender said, more to herself than to Hermione.

"Know what," Hermione asked.

"Ron still fancies you," Lavender carefully explained.

"What? No! I…even if he does, it doesn't matter."

"Are you sure? You know that he does now and that doesn't change anything," Lavender curiously asked.

Hermione shook her head.

"He has nothing that I want, believe me," Hermione said.

Lavender nodded.

"So, what are you going to do," Hermione asked.

"I don't know. What should I do," Lavender asked as she faced Hermione.

"What? You're asking me," Hermione shrieked.

Lavender gripped Hermione's shoulders.

"Yes! You always know what to do. I need your help. Please…"

Hermione heaved a sigh.

"Okay."

* * *

Hermione looked up from her parchment in surprise, her quill falling from in between her fingers.

"Harry," she said in shock.

She wondered just how long he had been standing there.

"Can I sit," he asked, gesturing to the seat in front of her.

"Of course."

He sat down with a sigh before resting his hands on the table. Then his lap. Then the table. He finally settled on leaving them in his lap. She stared at him in curiosity, wondering what this visit could be about. Neither he nor Ron had talked to her since last week when she had respectfully told them to mind their own business. Harry cleared his throat.

"How was your, um, your date?"

Hermione forced herself to keep a straight face. Ah.

"It was nice. We went to Tomes and Scrolls. He bought me a few books…"

"Really," Harry asked in surprise.

"Just because the two of you hate the store…," she started.

"I'm sorry. I just… I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Why are you here, Harry," she asked, getting straight to the point.

Harry huffed.

"Look, I don't like the thought of you going on dates with blokes like Zabini and Ron…," he trailed off.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ron still fancies me, so he doesn't like the idea of me with any guy. Yeah, I get it."

"Who told you," Harry asked in shock.

"It doesn't matter who told me. Just know that you can tell Ron I'm not interested whenever you feel like it," she answered.

"Hermione-"

"Am I interrupting?"

They both looked up and Hermione gave Blaise a small, nervous smile as she recalled Draco's words.

"No, you weren't. I was just leaving," Harry coldly replied, glaring at Hermione before rising.

Hermione sighed as Harry left and Blaise took his place.

"That didn't look friendly," Blaise said.

"He's upset with me."

"He doesn't like me," Blaise guessed.

"No, he doesn't. I've recently been told by a fellow Slytherin of yours that I shouldn't like you either," she replied.

Blaise chuckled.

"So…what did Draco say now?"

Hermione was thrown.

"Wait a minute. How-"

"Draco is always finding new lies to tell about me to all the ladies," Blaise said with a shrug.

Hermione was skeptical.

"And why would he do that?"

"He's jealous."

Hermione laughed.

"Excuse me if I find that hard to believe. Care to explain," she probed.

"I'm the only other lad in this bloody school with a reputation as infamous as his. He doesn't like that very much," he chuckled.

Hermione too found herself chuckling with him.

"Well, that does seem like something Draco would do," she agreed.

How had she not realized it before? Draco didn't take competition too well.

"Doesn't it? Hey, I didn't know that the two of you were so close. Do your friends know that the two of you are on a first name basis?"

"Oh, no. We're not close. Not at all. We live together, so we figured we might as well try to keep it peaceful," she answered.

Blaise made a humming sound as he gazed at her.

"So did you just come to chat?"

"No, actually I came to see if you wanted to hang out with me tonight," he proposed.

"Tonight? Didn't we just go on a date like, what, three days ago?"

Blaise shrugged.

"I enjoy your company," he whispered.

Hermione blushed.

"I don't know…"

"I can be very persuasive," he sang.

She laughed with a nod.

"Okay. You've got yourself another date."

"I'll be by your dorm later on," he said before rising.

She waved him goodbye before he was out of sight.

* * *

It was much later and Hermione was just getting back to her dorm to hurriedly get ready for their second date. She hadn't meant to be running so far behind, but her homework had taken longer than she thought it would. It didn't help that she had actually dozed off while in the library. Now she had to get ready within the next fifteen minutes. She had just gotten to their portrait when it came flying open and Daphne Greengrass came rushing out, crying.

"Greengrass," she questioned as she moved out of the way.

The other girl simply kept going as she fixed her hair. Hermione stared after her in confusion before walking inside. She looked around in confusion, seeing that nothing looked out of the ordinary before her eyes landed on Draco. He was seated on the couch, elbows resting on his knees and chin resting on his clasped hands.

"What did you do to her," Hermione demanded as she cautiously approached him.

The air around him buzzed with his magic. He was _not_ happy. Draco scoffed before abruptly standing, causing Hermione to stumble back in fright.

"What did _I_ do? She's the one who doesn't know how to give a proper blowjob and that's what I told her. Not my fault if she's an oversensitive b-"

"Draco! She looked really upset-"

"And," he asked as he walked past her.

"Well, I think that you should apologize," Hermione quietly said.

"And I think that you should _fuck off_ ," Draco snapped.

She followed him as he walked towards the door.

"What is wrong with you? I'm just trying to help-"

She jumped back as he turned on her, eyes blazing. She stood her grown.

"Seriously, Granger, stay the fuck away from me," he hissed before leaving the dorm.

Hermione stared with wide eyes as the portrait slammed shut. She heaved a sigh before going to her room. She didn't have time for this, she needed to get ready.

Twenty minutes later found her not even ready yet. She had on a nice shirt and pair of jeans. She was just looking for some shoes when she heard a knock on the portrait door.

"Shoot," she exclaimed as she ran downstairs.

She gave Blaise a sheepish smile as he waggled his eyebrows.

"I'm so sorry. I was running late and-"

"That's okay. Another time-"

"No, no! I'm almost ready, I promise."

She moved out of his way.

"Just take a seat. I'll be done in a little bit," she offered.

Blaise stepped inside and the portrait closed behind him with a soft click.

* * *

 **Can you feel the Hermione/Lavender friendship brewing? Can you feel it! Wait for it, wait for it...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Italics: Thoughts or Flashback**

 **Bold Italics: Emphasis or thoughts during flashback**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

Hermione got ready that morning on autopilot. She woke up and took a shower like she always did. She put her hair into a simple ponytail and got dressed. She barely looked her appearance over in the mirror before leaving her dorm, not even bothering to greet her dorm mate. She walked along the corridors at a brisk pace, tightening her sweater around her. It was quite chilly, but Hermione hardly noticed. To be honest, she was still a bit dazed after what had happened last night. She breezed past talkative students, too focused on food to notice the gazes and murmurs that followed her. Not to mention the curious and suspicious glances. Her mind was somewhere else entirely…

She waltzed into the Great Hall, taking no note of how the noise diminished upon her arrival before starting up again. She didn't even greet her fellow housemates as she took her seat at the end of the table, where she normally sat since her fight with Ron and Harry and the one with Ginny. She heaved a sigh and began to shakily shovel food onto her plate when two familiar boys plopped down in front of her. She looked up, startled out of her thoughts.

"What," she tentatively asked.

They were angry with her and they were supposed to be doing what they normally did when they got mad at her; shut her out. Why were they here, especially today of all days? She frowned at the looks on their faces. They looked almost…sad and scared. Definitely scared. She glanced around, noticing the discreet looks that were being thrown their way. She glanced away with a gulp as she caught Dean's worried glance. Her eyes flickered to the Slytherin table to see that even eyes from over there were on her. Was it possible that everyone knew?

"Hermione, are you okay," Harry hesitantly asked.

Yes, yes, it was definitely possible that everyone knew. Why else would her friends, who were supposed to be mad at her, be sitting here with her inquiring about her health…physical or otherwise? Hermione licked her lips.

"What do you mean," she asked, avoiding eye contact.

She looked up as Harry grabbed her hand, eyebrows furrowed, forcing her to drop her fork. It messily clattered into her plate. Harry looked nothing but serious as he stared at her, nostrils flaring. Ron's expression mirrored his although it looked as if Ron was going to be sick…really sick.

"You know exactly what we're talking about. It's all over school…"

Hermione fidgeted and adjusted her position in her seat at this new piece of information, pulling her hand away from his. So she was right after all…

"I don't want to talk about this," she quietly responded, suddenly very uncomfortable.

"Well, that's too bad! What the bloody hell happened, Hermione? Zabini is in the infirmary…," Harry began.

"…and Lavender has detention," Ron finished.

Hermione exhaled before pushing her plate away from her.

"People are talking, Hermione. They're saying that…," Harry trailed off.

She looked up at him, eyes narrowed.

"Harry, drop it. _I mean it_. I'm not discussing anything with you."

"Why not? We're your friends and we're worried-"

"Ha! _My friends_. Last time I checked, the two of you were acting like immature little brats simply because I found other ways to occupy my time," she snapped.

She really didn't want to talk about this. Where did they get off anyway? One minute, they were shutting her out and the next they were all over her, sick with grief and worry.

"Yeah and look where it got you," Ron snapped.

Hermione bit her lip before heaving a sigh and reaching for her bag.

"No, wait, Hermione… I didn't mean that-"

"You know what, that's a really bad habit, Ronald…saying things you don't mean. One of these days it's going to be something that you can't take back," Hermione said before rising and exiting the Great Hall.

She practically jogged down the corridors, eager to get away from prying eyes. Hermione didn't want to discuss anything with them...

* * *

 _"Do you want anything to eat? Drink," she offered as she walked towards the kitchen._

 _"No, thank you," he replied as he sank down into the couch._

 _She turned to look at him._

 _"Are you sure?"_

 _He threw her a dazzling smile over his shoulder._

 _"I'm sure, Hermione. You go finish getting dressed."_

 _"O-okay. I'll be quick," she said before running up to her room._

 _She immediately went back to digging around in her wardrobe, looking for some black sneakers that she knew she brought with her. She sighed in relief and had just put her hand on them when…_

 _"Need any help?"_

 _Hermione's head banged into the side of the wardrobe as she was startled. She pulled her head out and landed on her bum before turning around to look up at him with a small, embarrassed smile. He leaned against her door frame, hands stuffed into his pockets as he smirked at her, a vision in all black. It was very Draco like…huh._

 _"No, I got them," she breathed as she held them up._

 _"Here let me help," he offered as he walked towards her and sat down across from her, taking one of the shoes._

 _"Oh, you don't have to…," she trailed off as she realized that he was ignoring her protest._

 _"I want to, Hermione," he said as he glanced up at her._

 _"Well…thank you. That's very kind of you," she said._

 _She watched as he handled her feet with the utmost care, as if he wasn't just simply putting her shoes on for her. Hermione found herself staring at his fingers. They looked really soft, as if he hadn't done a day's worth of hard work in his life. Draco's hands had been somewhere in between. They were definitely calloused and…manly, but it wasn't overly so to the point that they were rough. They were just…firm. **A firm hand for a firm grip** … Hermione blinked and shook her head, wondering why on earth she was thinking about her asshole of a dorm mate._

 _"I just want to say that…I like you, Hermione. Probably more than I'm willing to admit," he suddenly said as he tied her laces._

 _Hermione blinked with a small blush._

 _"Really? Why," she found herself asking._

 _"Why not," he countered._

 _She shrugged._

 _"I don't know. It's just that…I mean I'm not exactly anything special. To be honest, I still have a hard time believing that you even asked me out to begin with," she answered._

 _Blaise finished her last laces and looked at her with a small smile. He reached up and ran his thumb along her eyebrow before tucking a few curls behind her ear._

 _"I disagree," he said before leaning in and brushing his lips against hers._

 _She reached up to clasp her fingers around his neck before running them up to his hair. All too soon, though, he pulled away. He smirked at her and she realized that she didn't do well in hiding her disappointment._

 _"We should go," he said as he stood, bringing her with him._

* * *

Hermione quickly gathered her things and was practically the first one out of the classroom as they were dismissed. She all but ran through the corridor, doing her best to get away from her friends and any other curious classmates. She kept her head down and eyes on the floor in order to avoid having to talk to anyone who was bold enough to ask.

"I heard that he got a little too _frisky_ and Granger socked him right in the nose…"

"You know, they say she punched Malfoy years ago. Old habits die hard, I guess…"

" _Apparently_ , Lavender and Blaise had been having something on the side for a while now and she caught him with Hermione…"

"Where on earth are you getting this from? Lavender saved Hermione because she's got the hots for the Golden Girl. I saw them going off to the Heads' dorm a few days ago…"

"Puh-lease. Alex told me that…"

Hermione bit her lip and forced herself to resist the urge to turn around and tell all of the nosy buggers of this school to mind their own damn business. As if anyone would actually believe any of this crap that they were spewing. It was none of their concern. She sighed in relief when she found herself in an empty corridor, her shoulders sagging with released tension. She was just about to pass another corridor when a hand reached out and yanked her in. She almost screamed with fright when her back met the bumpy wall, but immediately relaxed upon seeing a familiar face.

A finger was pressed to his lips as he indicated for her to not panic while the other hand was over her mouth. Once her breathing returned to normal, he let go of her and took a step back. She glared at him as he flicked a lock of pale blond hair out of his eye. She glanced around and thanked Merlin that nobody was around.

"What do you want? Huh? Are you here to gloat, to rub it in my face that you were right and I was wrong," she demanded as her eyes settled on him.

"I-"

"Fine! Fine, okay? You were right. I acted like an arrogant know-it-all and it came back to bite me in the butt. Of course, why wouldn't you be right? You grew up with him! You know him way better than I…than I thought I did," she whispered.

She fisted her hands into her hair.

"Ugh! How could I be so stupid? I acted like some vapid, hip-swinging, hair-twirling, bubblegum popping airhead all because he was showing me the littlest bit of attention. _What is wrong with me_ ," she ranted.

"Hermione…"

"I mean, the signs were there. They were all there and I ignored every single one of them! I-"

"I was just going to ask how you were," he interrupted.

Hermione paused, taken aback as she blinked up at him. His expression was unreadable, giving away nothing. She tilted her head to the side. _What?_

"What?"

Draco heaved an exasperated sigh before leaning against the opposite wall, one knee bent and the other foot on the floor while he crossed his arms over his chest, hair falling over his forehead. His words betrayed his nonchalant appearance.

"I got you alone to ask how you were holding up, not to brag…"

"You wanted to ask how I'm doing…?"

"Yes, for Merlin's sake-"

"Why," she asked.

"What?"

"Why do you want to know how I'm doing," she elaborated.

Draco Malfoy didn't ask about the wellbeing of…anyone.

"I…I felt bad, alright," he said with a shrug.

" _You felt bad?_ "

"Yes! Damn, Hermione, are you going to repeat everything I say," he exclaimed.

Hermione flushed with embarrassment.

"No, I just… I'm trying to understand. I can't wrap my head around Draco Malfoy feeling bad for anyone. So, let me get this straight. You, I assume, followed me and hid out here, waiting to get me alone so that you could corner me to ask how I'm doing because you felt bad… Is that correct," she questioned.

His silence was the only answer she needed. She suddenly laughed, causing him to glare at her.

"Wow, I must have a magical nectar in between my legs or something-"

"For the love of-"

"No, really. This is great! We can bottle this stuff up and sell it on the streets," she continued.

Draco's face suddenly morphed into one of extreme anger.

"Seriously? You're joking, right now? How can you even kid after everything? He tried to-"

Draco angrily cut himself off as he pushed away from the wall. Hermione realized that right now was probably not the best time to make jokes. She watched with interest as he began to pace, suddenly feeling insensitive. Although, she couldn't understand why she was feeling insensitive when she was the one who was almost… She shook her head. _Why does he care so much anyway?_

"I'm sorry, okay? I don't know how to deal with this. As you know, I'm new to this whole dating thing or anything that involves one guy and one girl, really. I've never found myself in a situation like that, not even close. It doesn't help that the whole school knows and everybody just wants to know what happened. Surprisingly, you're probably the only person who just genuinely wants to know how I'm doing. We still haven't fully discussed why that is…," she trailed off.

Draco heaved a sigh before running his fingers through his hair.

"I was…an ass. I acted like such an ass before the stupid date and maybe if I hadn't have acted that way and left in such a hurry, I could have been there when he showed up. I could have done something…I know how he operates by now. I would have known…"

Hermione suddenly found herself feeling angry and she took a step towards him.

" _Don't do that_. This is my fault, not yours. You did your part. You warned me, you told me and I didn't even really listen. I believed him so easily and I didn't even consider the fact that he could have been lying. I am the arrogant girl who thought she knew what she was doing only to realize too late that she was in way over her head, not you. For once, you actually tried to do the right thing and I practically spat it back in your face. I'm sorry," Hermione forced out through clenched teeth.

Apologizing to Draco Malfoy really took a lot out of her. It was hard enough to admit that she was wrong and he was right. He exhaled with a nod, accepting her apology…

* * *

 _"Is this even allowed," she questioned as they sat down on the blanket._

 _"…sure."_

 _She eyed him with suspicion, but couldn't help the small smile that broke out over her face. She looked around in awe. They were having a picnic…at night…on the Quidditch pitch. Normally she'd be making a fuss about the blatant disregard of school rules, but Blaise had done something nice and incredibly romantic. She couldn't find it in herself to even be a little irritated. There were a few candles floating around them to provide them with some much needed light. A large and comfortable blanket was beneath them and an impressive three course meal was laid out before them. Hermione looked up at the stars… They were so plentiful._

 _"You sure go all out," she said as she looked back at him._

 _He shrugged with a mischievous smirk before offering her a croissant. She eagerly took the French pastry._

 _"So…I take it that you and Draco aren't friends," she said, trying to start conversation._

 _Her statement was rewarded with an amused chuckle as he poured some fancy wine into their glasses._

 _"Slytherins don't have friends."_

 _"Oh, well, that's awfully depressing," she replied._

 _He shrugged._

 _"Well, I take it that the two of you aren't exactly friendly then," she corrected._

 _"We were, once upon a time, but as we got older, it became obvious that there was this unspoken competition between the two of us," he answered._

 _"Who was the first to officially declare war," she questioned, curious._

 _He raised an eyebrow._

 _"Take one guess…"_

 _She laughed with a nod._

 _"Yeah, that makes sense."_

 _"He's competitive like that," Blaise laughed._

 _"I suppose that he is. You know, sometimes I forget that his marks are right behind mine. It must have sucked for him, growing up, having a mudblood like me best him in everything…"_

 _She had never really thought about it before. She imagined that it must have been hell, especially with a father like Lucius Malfoy._

 _"Don't tell me that you're feeling sorry for the likes of him," Blaise murmured from behind his glass._

 _She blinked at him as he gazed at her, his eyes betraying nothing._

 _"Oh, no. I was just…making an observation, that's all," she quietly responded._

 _He hummed as he set the empty cup down and looked at her. She felt very small all of a sudden…_

* * *

Hermione gazed at the pacing girl in sympathy. Lavender's blonde mess of ringlets bounced around her shoulders as she moved back and forth. Hermione leaned against the wall, right next to the doors as Lavender bit her nails. The other witch suddenly shook her head.

"I can't-I-I don't think I can do this," she breathed as she turned to face Hermione.

Hermione walked towards Lavender and laid her hand on her shoulder.

"You wanted this, remember? You want to make him pay, right," Hermione questioned.

"I do! I do, so much, but I…I'm not you. Besides, what are people going to say? I don't even have the right to be all that upset because it's not like I'm the most _respectable_ girl," Lavender said.

"So what? Does that mean that you don't deserve to be treated right? Does that mean that you don't have feelings just like everyone else? Your virtue, or lack thereof, does not equate your worth. You deserve better and he needs to know just how much he's hurt you," Hermione said with conviction.

Lavender exhaled with a nod before a tentative smile broke out over her face.

"Thank you…Hermione. I mean that. I don't think I could even do this if you hadn't… I owe you so much-"

"No, no," Hermione interrupted.

She frantically shook her head as tears began to pool in her eyes.

"You don't owe me _anything_. I am the one who owes you. If not for you-"

Hermione broke off, taking a deep breath to compose herself.

"It's alright."

"No, it isn't. You have detention every night for the next month because of me and my stupidity, my arrogance, my-"

"I told you, Hermione, its fine. I get it, you didn't want anyone to know the truth. You just wanted to put it all behind you. Believe me when I say I understand. I've been there," Lavender said with a shrug.

Hermione's eyes widened, horrified as the meaning of Lavender's words sank in.

"You have," Hermione gasped.

Lavender nodded with a sheepish smile.

"A girl like me…well, statistically speaking, a good number of all of the many guys I've found myself alone with weren't exactly going to be gentlemen. I've had to get a little aggressive more than once…"

Hermione covered her mouth in shock.

"I'm so sorry. Even if…nothing happened that's still horrible to experience. Especially more than once…it must have been very terrifying," Hermione said.

Lavender shrugged.

"I've learned from my mistakes. Now, enough of this. You don't owe me anything because I was just doing the right thing. So, how about I go in there and ruin Ron's day," Lavender asked with a smile.

Hermione took a deep breath before smiling with a nod.

* * *

 _"Tell me, why is it that you never succumbed to his charms," he suddenly asked._

 _Hermione choked on her drink, almost spitting it out as she shakily set her glass down._

 _"W-what?"_

 _"You heard me…"_

 _Hermione stood, offended._

 _"Excuse me, but this is supposed to be a date, is it not? Why on earth are we discussing-"_

 _"It's hardly a discussion, Hermione. I asked a simple question… I did not mean to offend you and if I did, I am sorry," he slowly responded._

 _Hermione swallowed as she reluctantly sat back down. She began to flush with embarrassment as she realized that she may have overreacted. She cleared her throat._

 _"I apologize. I simply…well, I took your question the wrong way. To answer, I do not find him appealing."_

 _"I find that hard to believe. Even you of all people must find something attractive-"_

 _"No, no. I didn't say anything about attraction. He is attractive, no matter how much I'm reluctant to admit that, and anyone who says differently is lying. I said that I do not find him appealing. He's foul and rude and pompous and…"_

 ** _And you slept with him._**

 _"And you like him," he said with a smirk._

 _"Excuse me? How do you figure," she practically shrieked._

 _This date was not going as expected…at all. Blaise chuckled, a deep, husky sound._

 _"You're going to such great lengths to insult him. Not to mention that you almost stormed out of here when all I did was ask why you haven't fallen into his bed yet?"_

 _"Well, surely you can see why such a question would rub me the wrong way," she said._

 _She wasn't comfortable with this conversation at all. Why on earth would Blaise even say such a thing? She watched as Blaise set down his glass._

 _"You can't blame me for being curious. It's the classic case of opposites attracting. You're this intelligent, overbearing Virgin Mary who always does the right thing, no offense intended. Draco is a laidback, rude and pompous womanizer who couldn't care less about something as insignificant as **rules**. I figured it was only a matter of time before the two of you pounced and ripped each other's clothes off…literally," he said._

 _Hermione found herself giggling._

 _"You actually believe in that whole opposites attract nonsense?"_

 _"You once felt something for Weasley…did you not?"_

 _Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but immediately closed it, pursing her lips. Blaise may have had a point. Ron was, for all intents and purposes, her opposite in practically every way. She wasn't agreeing with his whole theory on Draco, not at all, but at least she and Draco had a few similarities. Their drive to excel for one. She frowned as she realized that she couldn't even think of why she had been interested in Ron to begin with. They had nothing in common._

 _"Come to think of it, the weasel and Draco are not all that different," he continued._

 _Hermione scoffed._

 _"Pray tell…"_

 _"Let's see…they are both arrogant, hotheaded so-and-so's who can't stand being wrong. Weasley being more hotheaded than Draco, of course. They're both easily jealous, but once again, Weasley more so than Draco simply because there are very few things in this world that Draco wants, but can't have. Both of them are kind of impulsive and of course…they're both pureblood."_

 _Hermione pursed her lips again as he once again proved her wrong. He was doing that a lot lately and she wasn't sure how she felt about that, to be honest._

 _"Well…aren't you clever," she finally said._

 _"No, just observational, but I am clever too," he pointed out._

 _"So, what was the point of this? All of this talk about my dorm mate, I mean…"_

 _He pointed to her._

 _"There is your answer. He's your dorm mate, the two of you live together. I was just curious about the nature of your relationship is all…"_

 _"Why?"_

 _He exhaled before tilting his head to the side._

 _"Let's just say that…Draco isn't the only one who doesn't take competition too well."_

* * *

Hermione watched from the doors as Lavender stormed over to the Gryffindor table. Ron looked up at her with a smile and a greeting on his lips, looking away from Harry, when Lavender stopped him with a slap. Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. The sound echoed throughout the hall, drawing everyone's attention to the fighting couple. Hermione watched as Lavender took a deep breath.

"Ronald Weasley…I liked you. I liked you a lot, in fact, one could say that I was falling for you. However, you decided that you would much rather fall into my best friend."

Gasps and murmurs began to fill the large room as everyone registered her words. Said girl was sitting a couple of seats down and she shrank in her seat, trying to avoid the stares.

"Lav I-"

"I don't want to hear it! There is nothing that you can say that is going to change my mind. I held out hope like the brainless idiot that I am, but no more," she interrupted.

Hermione walked towards them as Ron stood, face matching his hair as his fists clenched.

"Where are you even getting this hogwash from, Lavender? I wouldn't touch Parvati with a ten foot pole, you know that! Who told you that I-"

"I did," Hermione quietly cut him off as she stepped beside Lavender.

Lavender turned to look at Hermione in shock. Hermione understood why. Her telling Ron that she was the one who told Lavender was not part of the plan, but Hermione didn't see the point in hiding. That wasn't who she was. Ron looked at her, a myriad of emotions crossing his features before his face finally decided to settle on betrayal.

"What," he whispered.

"I told her," she said more clearly.

"Why? Why would you do that," he quietly pleaded.

"She was…a mess, Ronald. I mean, what else was I supposed to do while she was standing there, crying, over you no less, and begging to know the truth? Was I supposed to look her in the eyes and lie to her face," Hermione questioned.

" _Yes!_ You're supposed to be my friend, Hermione! You're supposed to be on my side-"

"Yeah, because you're _always_ on my side," she sarcastically threw out.

"No, I may not always be on your side, but I would have had your back. I would have done it for you," he hissed.

"No, you wouldn't have. You would not have done it for me, so don't even say that," she snapped.

"You don't know what I would have done! Heh, you give Harry and I grief for getting into your personal business and look at you. Of course, high and mighty Hermione can do no wrong. She does whatever she wants and it's always _somehow_ the right thing to do," he scoffed.

"Now, wait just a minute, Ron! I brought her into this, remember? She didn't go looking for any of this! This is my doing so don't go screaming at her," Lavender said.

"I can say whatever the hell I want to say to her! She shouldn't go sticking her nose where it doesn't belong," he snarled.

" _I_ am the one who made this her business."

Ron glared at Lavender before turning his gaze onto Hermione. Hermione stared back as he stepped towards her.

"From day one, you were always a nosy little know-it-all who thought herself above everyone else. You think you'd learn after last night," he whispered.

Hermione grabbed Lavender's arm as the other girl stepped forward.

"Now you're just another name on the endless list of Zabini's conquests-oops. I mean victims," he hissed before sitting back down.

Harry stared at the two of them in shock, not exactly sure what to do. Hermione glared at Ron as the Great Hall slowly began to fill with the noise of chatter.

"Let's go," Hermione said as she tugged on Lavender's arm, leading her out of the hall, ignoring Harry as he called her name.

* * *

 _Hermione swallowed as he looked at her._

 _"We're…frenemies," she quietly said._

 _Who have also had mind-blowing sex, but that's not important._

 _"You can't really fault me for being curious, Hermione. I just want to know what I'm getting into-"_

 _"And what do you think you're getting into, Blaise," she demanded._

 _He smirked._

 _"You, hopefully…a relationship with you, I mean," he added, causing her to sigh in relief._

 _"That's awfully bold of you. We've only been on two dates and we're in the middle of the second one **right now**."_

 _"I know what I want."_

 ** _He gets what he wants._** _Hermione swallowed, again, as he leaned towards her._

 _"I like you. I was under the impression that you like me too," he said as she pressed her hands against his chest._

 _"I-I do, but I barely know you outside of what I've heard," she shakily replied._

 _She wasn't used to someone being so…forward._

 _"Then let's remedy that and get to know each other," he said just before his lips crashed into hers._

 _The food was forgotten as she clutched his arm and gasped in shock when she found herself on her back, his muscular form covering her own. His tongue slipped past her lips, drawing another gasp and moan from her. This wasn't like her at all. She had never really gone on a date, but she was certain that she wasn't the type of girl who got hot and heavy on the second date! She had put her other hand on his chest and began to sit up when he grabbed her thigh, hooking it around his waist and forcing her back to reconnect with the ground. She let out an "oomph" as she fell back down._

 _She put pressure on his chest, hoping that he would get the message, but no such thing happened. She let out a gasp as his lips grazed her cheek before latching onto her neck. She involuntarily arched her back as he pressed himself into her._

 _"Blaise…"_

 _He made a humming sound, clearly mistaking her warning for encouragement. She opened her mouth to make herself clear when his lips caught hers in another kiss. She turned her head away and used all of her strength to shove him away from her. He looked down at her with a perplexed expression, eyes swimming with poorly concealed desire._

 _"What-"_

 _"What kind of girl do you think I am? On the Quidditch pitch, no less!"_

 _"We can go somewhere else, if you want…"_

 _Hermione blinked in amazement. Wow…_

 _"No! I'm not going anywhere with you! I'm not having sex with you," she firmly stated as she looked up at him, leaning back on her elbows as he hovered over her._

 _He frowned._

 _"I thought you said you liked me."_

 _"I do, but that doesn't mean I want to have sex with you. Besides, it's only the second date," she explained as if talking to a four year old._

 _His frown depend as he let out a scoff._

 _"Do you realize that I can't even remember the last time I had to even put together a second date for a girl?"_

 _Now it was Hermione's turn to scoff._

 _"Well, I apologize, your highness that you had to go through such great lengths for me. However, I am sure that there are plenty of girls in this school who would be more than happy to open their legs for you. Unfortunately, I am not one of them," she snapped as she pushed him off of her and stood up._

 _Hermione shook her head in disbelief as she began to brush herself off. She heard him exhale…_

 _"I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm just…I'm not used to girls like you, I apologize. Let me walk you back-"_

 _"I'll be fine," she angrily replied._

 _Merlin, she couldn't believe that Draco had actually been right. She was never going to hear the end of it._

 _"Look, I actually feel bad, Hermione. I don't want the night to be a complete disaster. At least, let me walk you back to your dorm. Please…"_

 _She heaved a sigh as she looked at him before reluctantly nodding._

 _"Fine," she breathed as she began to walk off of the pitch._

* * *

"That was quite a show…"

Hermione heaved a long, drawn out sigh as she plopped down onto the couch next to him. The coffee table was covered in parchment and books, one of which was currently being read by her dorm mate. She rubbed her temple as she thought about the lovely entertainment she had just given everyone for dinner in the hall. She shook her head in disbelief at herself…

"I really don't want to talk about it. I wasn't even planning to get involved, but I couldn't just leave her out there to take his wrath by herself. I know how Ron can be," she said matter-of-factly.

"I thought that he was going to hit you for a second there," Draco absentmindedly said as his eyes scanned the text.

She glanced at him in shock.

"What? No… Ron may be a lot of things, but he isn't… _that_ ," Hermione said.

"I wasn't aware that you and Brown were buddy-buddy," he dryly commented.

"We're not…well, at least we weren't, but she was all heartbroken about Ron and then last night-"

"So, it's true. She _was_ there last night," he said as he finally glanced up at her.

"Yeah, she was…," Hermione breathed.

* * *

 _"What the hell do you think you are doing," she shrieked as Blaise slammed her back into the wall, his arms caging her in._

 _"I don't get it, Hermione. You say you like me, so what's the problem," he hissed._

 _"The problem is that I'm just not that kind of girl! I'm sorry if that disappoints you, but I'm sure you'll manage," she snapped as she shoved against him._

 _"You know what? I don't think I will manage. You see, because you're kind of hurting my pride here, Hermione."_

 _"Well, that sounds like a personal, problem, Blaise," she spat._

 _"Who the hell do you think you are? You're hot, but you're not hot enough to just turn **me** down. I thought that the whole frigid bitch act was just an act," he snapped._

 _She gasped and struck him, satisfied when his head snapped to the side. How dare he speak to her like that!_

 _"You don't know anything about me. Gosh, I cannot believe that Draco was right about you. I feel like the biggest idiot in the world for defending you," she hissed._

 _He leaned in as he glared down at her._

 _"Yes, your smart little dorm mate. Guess how much I'm willing to bet that you've opened your legs for him," he whispered._

 _Hermione's heart skipped a beat in her chest as her eyes widened. **He doesn't know anything** …_

 _"So, that's what this is about? You're trying to use me as a pawn in your rivalry with him? Please," she scoffed._

 _Blaise stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face before he smiled._

 _"You two hooked up-"_

 _"No, we didn't and I'd appreciate you not broadcasting that embarrassing lie," she said._

 _She pressed her back into the wall as he leaned in, his obsidian eyes raking over her form._

 _"Just how appreciative are you," he purred._

 _"You disgust me," she sneered as she finally successfully shoved him away from her._

 _"That's not what you were saying at the book shop or the Quidditch Pitch…"_

 _She took a step forward._

 _"Yeah, because that was before I knew just how sleazy you were. Don't talk to me again, in fact, don't even look my way. You're a vile pig and I want nothing to do with you," she spat just before she began to leave him in the corridor._

 _She hissed in pain when he grabbed her wrist and spun her around. She yelped in shock as the backside of his hand connected with her cheek, forcing her to stumble. Before she could even right herself, he had tackled her onto the floor. She struggled as she fought against his wandering hands._

 _"Get off of me, now," she demanded._

 _"What makes you so special, huh? You're not any better than the rest," he snapped as he ripped the neckline of her shirt._

 _Hermione began to panic. No, he was just trying to scare her… He had to be._

 _"This isn't funny! Get off of me," she shrieked as she reached for her wand in her pocket._

 _Blaise grabbed her hands and pinned them down beside her head before leaning down to nip the side of her neck. Hermione clenched her teeth as she tried to bring her knee up, only to have him move his thighs to straddle her, holding her legs in place._

 _"Blaise, stop! Get off of me," she desperately screamed as she bucked against him._

 _"Everte Statum!"_

 _Hermione hurriedly sat up as Blaise flew back, his back connecting with the floor…hard. Hermione panted as hurried footsteps came her way._

 _"Hermione? Are you alright?"_

 _Hermione blinked the tears away as she looked up at the other girl. Lavender stared at Hermione with a mixture of disbelief and concern. She looked as if she was just realizing what had just happened. Hermione swallowed and jerkily nodded her head._

 _"I'm fine. I'm fine. Thank you," she breathed._

 _"No problem. I…," Lavender trailed off as she stared ahead._

 _Hermione slowly followed her gaze to the still form of Blaise Zabini. Hermione stood up on shaky legs with panic. Lavender clutched her arm and they looked at each other, Hermione worried and Lavender frightened. Lavender shook her head. Hermione took cautious steps forward out of Lavender's grasp and gasped in fright. Lavender ran next to her and let out a small shriek before covering her mouth with her hands. Hermione stared, open mouthed, as a small pool of blood began to grow under Blaise's head._

 _"Oh Merlin," Hermione whispered._

 _"Is he…is he dead," Lavender desperately asked._

 _"I don't…I don't know," Hermione whispered as she knelt down and put her head to his chest._

 _She could hear Lavender pacing behind her. Hermione sighed in relief and shook her head._

 _"No, he's alive! I don't know for how much longer though. We have to get him to the infirmary," Hermione said._

 _"What is going on here?"_

 _They both looked behind them in shock at the shining tip of a wand. On the other end, was the Headmistress herself._

 _"Professor McGonagall…," Hermione began as she stood._

 _"What in the-oh my. What happened," the older witch demanded as her eyes landed on the unconscious Slytherin._

 _Hermione opened and closed her mouth as she and Lavender glanced at each other._

 _"I…he-"_

 _"I did it! I was angry with him and I said the first spell that came to mind. I didn't that he'd…," Lavender trailed off._

 _Hermione stared at the blonde in shock._

 _"You were angry with him…? What in blazes did he do," Professor McGonagall worriedly inquired._

 _"You know…lovers' quarrel," Lavender lied with a shrug._

 _"Lavender…no-"_

 _"Very well. Ms. Granger, you best be heading back to your dormitory. I will take it from here," Professor McGonagall dismissed as she knelt down beside the dark haired boy._

 _Hermione blinked at Lavender as the other girl shook her head._

 _"Go," Lavender mouthed._

 _Hermione reluctantly began to back up before running back to her dorm._

* * *

Hermione shook her head of the memory before glancing at her dorm mate. She swallowed as she prepared herself for what she was about to ask.

"Draco…," she quietly began.

He looked at her from beneath his lashes, dazzling her for a few seconds before she shook herself out of it. She licked her lips and noticed that his eyes zeroed in on the movement.

"When…when we had that fight in the kitchen about Blaise…? W-when you said-"

"I know what I said."

She sighed in relief.

"You wouldn't actually do that, though, right? I-I mean…you were just angry, right," she asked.

She stared at him as he stared back at her, an unreadable expression on his face. She felt her shoulders tensing up again as more seconds ticked by.

"Draco…?"

He looked away from her, turning his head to look towards their room doors. Hermione clenched her jaw and wrapped her small hand around his arm, forcing him to look at her.

"Tell me that you wouldn't actually do that. We have a deal. Do you understand? The only reason…the _main_ reason I went to you was because I thought I could trust you to keep this hush hush. I thought that you'd want to keep quiet about it just as much as I would."

"I did," he finally said.

" _Did?_ What does that mean? What is that supposed to mean, Draco?"

Hermione felt like she was going to spew chunks…everywhere. This could not be happening… Draco ran his hand through his hair before standing.

"Goodnight, Hermione-"

"No! No," she shrieked as she stood with him.

She yanked on his arm as he made to walk away from her.

"You cannot do this to me! Do you hear me? You can't go back on our agreement. "

"Minds change," he replied.

"Well yours better not," she snapped.

"And what are you going to do if it does," he hissed as he pressed his nose against hers.

Hermione leaned back with a gulp.

"I-"

"You'll what," he mocked.

Hermione opened her mouth before slamming it shut with a huff. She looked away from him, fidgeting. Draco chuckled.

"Should have made an Unbreakable Vow," he said with a shrug, smirking.

"Draco, I know that you are a lot of things, but I didn't think that you were someone who went back on their word. I thought that I could trust you with this. Please, don't prove me wrong," she pleaded.

He let out a long exhale before licking his lips.

"Fine. I won't say anything. I'll hold up my end of the deal if…"

"If what," she desperately asked.

He looked down at her, silver connecting with brown. Hermione blinked as he reached up to brush her curls behind her shoulder as he tilted his head to the side, eyes dancing with mischief.

"If you have sex with me again."

* * *

 **Don't kill me!**


	6. Chapter 6

_"Draco, I know that you are a lot of things, but I didn't think that you were someone who went back on their word. I thought that I could trust you with this. Please, don't prove me wrong," she pleaded._

 _He let out a long exhale before licking his lips._

 _"Fine. I won't say anything. I'll hold up my end of the deal if…"_

 _"If what," she desperately asked._

 _He looked down at her, silver connecting with brown. Hermione blinked as he reached up to brush her curls behind her shoulder as he tilted his head to the side, eyes dancing with mischief._

 _"If you have sex with me again."_

* * *

Hermione reared back, eyes widening as his words danced around inside her head. She opened her mouth to speak before almost immediately slamming it shut. She blinked and turned her head to look into the kitchen, frowning in disbelief. Did he just…? She swallowed as she forced her heart rate to decrease, flashes of that night coming to the forefront of her mind. She shook the erotic memories out of her head before turning to face him.

"What," she quietly asked.

His lips stretched into a slow smirk as he brought his thumb up to brush her bottom lip.

"You heard me," he murmured, eyes blazing from beneath his lashes.

Hermione was very tempted to bite that finger…hard.

"Why," she demanded.

He shrugged.

"Why not-"

"No, no, no! Do not give me that 'why not' rubbish…," she pushed past him "…I want a real answer and I want one now. Why?"

She spun around to face him, left hand braced onto the stair banister. Draco smiled, a dazzling sight.

"Because I think you'd enjoy it, is all."

Hermione let out a humorless chuckle.

"Let me see if I understand this. In order for you to keep up your end of our bargain, which you are supposed to do anyway, you want me to have sex with you again. To uphold the original deal, you're trying to strike a new one. Are you kidding me," she shrieked.

"I assure you, I'm very serious," he said.

"Absolutely not! Even if I did agree to this, who is to say that you won't coerce me into doing it again…and again…and again until you've had your nice little fill of Hermione Jean Granger?"

"I wouldn't do that," he scoffed, visibly offended.

"Wouldn't you? I mean, isn't that what you're doing right now? I'm not having sex with you, Draco," she snapped.

"You already did," he sang.

Hermione closed her eyes and exhaled, frustrated to no end.

"I'm not having sex with you again," she breathed as she opened her eyes.

He scowled, moping a bit.

"Why not?"

"Because this was a onetime thing. I can't even begin to understand how you're not getting that when I've stressed it enough. I didn't have sex with you because I wanted to know how great of a lay you were. Although, I must say that I was not disappointed…"

Draco smirked.

"The point is that I did it because it was my last desperate attempt at getting my friends back. Although, now I'm trying to understand how I even correlated the two in my head. The fact of the matter is, when I knocked on your door that night, I made it very clear what the terms were. You can't just go back on them!"

"So that's what this is about, the fact that this is supposed to just be a onetime thing? Who says that it has to be," he questioned.

"I do! We have a deal-"

"Why are you so focused on this _deal_?"

"B-because we…I…you are not doing this! You will not screw with my head, Malfoy-"

"Oo, I'm in trouble," he purred.

She pointed her finger at him.

"You will not blackmail me into having sex with you," she hissed.

He glanced at her finger before grabbing said hand and bringing said finger to his lips. Hermione watched, transfixed, as his tongue darted out to touch her finger. She felt her mouth involuntarily parting as he wrapped his lips around her finger, stepping closer to her before releasing it. He ran his tongue over his lips.

"I'd hardly call it blackmail when you're just as down for it as I am," he whispered.

Hermione blinked.

"W-what," she gasped out.

He raised an eyebrow at her, smirk back in place.

"What are you talking about," she breathed.

He leaned down, his lips a hairs width away from her own.

"When you were going on and on about why we shouldn't do this, not once did I hear the words 'because I don't want to' come out of those pretty little lips of yours," he murmured, tapping her lips with his index finger.

She clenched her jaw and glared at him because…he was right. Even as she thought it, she couldn't deny the fact that it was a pleasurable experience, one, she was reluctant to admit, that she wouldn't mind repeating, but she wouldn't.

"I don't want to," she said.

He chuckled.

"You're a really bad liar, did you know that," he questioned as he walked towards the kitchen.

"I mean it! I don't want to have sex with you," she said as she followed him.

"Alright."

"You don't believe me…"

"Of course not," he laughed as he turned around.

She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. Whether or not I want to doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to," she said as she stared him down.

"Fine. I can't be held responsible for what I may or may not let slip then," he said, spreading his arms out.

Hermione pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, assessing him as he did her. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine. Do it then," she finally said.

He too narrowed his eyes and tiled his head, taking a step towards her.

"Don't underestimate me, _Hermione_ ," he mockingly threatened.

"I'm not. In fact, I'm telling you to go…ahead…and do it," she challenged as she stepped towards him with each pause.

"You don't think I will," he whispered as he leaned down.

"No, I don't. I'm calling your bluff, Draco."

She put her hand on his chest.

"I'll do it, Hermione. I promise you I will and you'll never see it coming," he growled as he fisted his hand in her hair, tilting her head up.

"No, you won't. Why don't we discuss what this is really about," she suggested as she looked into his eyes.

He brushed his lips against hers, letting out a husky laugh.

"What the hell are you on about," he whispered through his teeth, a subtle warning behind his words.

"If you wanted to have sex with me again, all you had to do was say so. I mean, it's not going to happen, but there was no need to try and blackmail me into it," she said.

He suddenly let go of her, pushing her away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he sneered.

"Really? My mistake then," she said as she turned around.

She walked up the stairs, headed to her room, when she suddenly stopped and turned to face him. She frowned in confusion as he stood down there glaring at her.

"You know, I haven't heard you _entertaining_ any guests lately. Usually, I have to put a silencing charm around my room almost every other night, but lately…nothing," she said.

She looked at him in concern, taking satisfaction as he clenched his jaw.

"In fact, all nightly noise seems to have…disappeared after that night. Gee, I do hope that you're not letting any thoughts of me spoil all of your fun because I'm here to tell you…that it's not going to happen," she said before walking towards her room.

She didn't even hear him coming, not until his hand was already wrapped around her arm, pulling her back into his chest. She gasped as his lips brushed her ear. He laughed…

"Do you want to know a secret," he purred.

When she didn't say anything he continued.

"I'll have you in me bed again before the month is up."

She turned around and backed away from him when he let her go, her narrowed eyes fixed on his playful ones. He looked down at her with that innocent, boyish smile, hands folded behind his back.

"…and this time…you won't want to leave. Have a good night, Hermione," he sweetly said just before she slammed the door in his face.

* * *

"So, why did you want to walk me to my next class again," Hermione questioned.

She warily eyed him, trying to figure out why he had suddenly approached her after class ended while Ron had all but ran from the room. Harry let out a lengthy sigh before answering.

"I wanted to apologize…on behalf of Ron-"

"Well, I can't accept. Ron should be apologizing to me himself and he should do it because he realized he was wrong and because he wants to," Hermione interrupted.

Harry scratched the back of his head.

"Look, you have to understand. Ron was really upset. I mean, you told on him," Harry explained.

Hermione suddenly stopped walking and turned to face Harry, an unbelievable expression on her face.

"So you agree with him then, that I should have just lied to Lavender's face," Hermione demanded.

Harry rubbed his forehead.

"Yes and no. On one hand, he's supposed to be your friend, you know. You were supposed to have his back, but on the other hand I can see why you did it. If she was crying like a pathetic mess to me I'm not so sure I would have been able to lie either. However, this situation is just…odd because you and Lavender aren't even friends! Now, I understand that things happen and relationships change, but Ron can't. He just sees this as a way of you getting back at him. He can't process the idea of you doing this because you genuinely felt sorry for her," he elaborated.

Hermione pursed her lips and shifted her feet, understanding his explanation.

"Okay, I concede. Maybe I shouldn't have told Lavender the truth. It wasn't my place and I can admit that, but the fact of the matter is that I did. While I understand his anger I still can't understand the things he said. He said some…pretty awful things to me, uncalled for things," she replied.

Harry frowned as he too thought about what Ron had said to her.

"I know and I get that a lot of apologizing will have to make up for that, but you know that he was just speaking out of anger. Hell, it's not like he knows what really happened, no one does. He was just trying to hurt you anyway he could and he used a stupid rumor to do it," Harry said.

"…and what if it was true?"

Harry's eyes widened.

"Is it…?"

"Doesn't matter, but what if it was? What if I really am just another one of Blaise's victims? How do you think that would make me feel, to hear him say stuff like that?"

Harry sighed.

"I'd imagine that…that you'd probably never forgive him," Harry breathed, defeated.

Hermione nodded, glad that she got her point across.

"I can no longer just accept him mouthing off out of anger. He's not a child, Harry," Hermione said as she shook her head.

"I know, I know. Look, I wanted to apologize too…"

Hermione frowned.

"For what?"

"For how I acted before. Please, try to understand that we're not used to you acting like every other girl in this bloody school. It was a bit of a shock, to say the least…"

"But why? I mean, wouldn't you think it odd if by the time I was twenty I hadn't even gone on a single date?"

"We just aren't used to it is all… Hermione, I care about you, a lot. You're the closest thing that I've ever had to a sister and I was just really worried. The fact that it was Zabini of all people didn't make matters any better. What with his reputation and all-"

"Wait…you knew," she exclaimed.

Did _everyone_ but her know?

"Well…yeah. You hear things," he shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell me," she questioned.

Harry let out a humorless laugh.

"Would you have believed me?"

Hermione's shoulders sagged in defeat as she realized that she wouldn't have believed him. She would have simply thought he was saying it to keep her from going.

"Yeah, that's kind of what I thought," Harry quietly said.

"Well, I forgive you, Harry. You were just worried and I can't fault you for that," she said as she pulled him into a hug.

* * *

"You look exhausted," Hermione commented as the blonde witch plopped down in front of her.

She watched as Lavender proceeded to scoop food into her plate. The other witch had bags under her eyes and her skin looked quite dull…and pale. Lavender shrugged.

"Late nights tend to do that," she responded.

Hermione's shoulders sagged with guilt.

"I-I'm really sorry, Lavender."

Lavender suddenly looked up with a small smile.

"Don't be. I told you, I understand," she said.

"It doesn't change the fact that you're the one taking the brunt of all of this because I'm a coward. I'm trying to pretend like this never happened and it is just so…un-Gryffindor like of me. I don't think anybody else would be as understanding. They would be demanding that I get him sent out of here," Hermione responded.

"Hermione, drop it. You don't want to tell and I get it. If you do ever decide to tell then you'll do it whenever you're ready."

Hermione sighed as she picked at her food.

"Yes, I suppose," she breathed.

She still thought that it was very cowardly of her. She'd never dealt with a situation like this though. Part of her suspected that she still needed time to fully process what had happened. She suddenly blinked and looked up as she dropped her fork. Harry had said that even _he_ had heard of Blaise's reputation. Just how many girls had been in her situation? How many more _would_ be because she decided to keep quiet?

"Hermione…," Lavender suddenly said.

Hermione looked up, Lavender's tone of voice worrying her. Her eyes met the other girl's narrowed ones, accusation and curiosity swimming in their depths, eyebrow raised, lips pulled into a small smirk.

"What," Hermione hesitantly asked.

"Is there something going on between you and your dorm mate?"

"Why…?"

"Because he's had his eyes on you since I got here," she said as she pointed behind the curly haired witch.

Hermione spun around, her glare clashing with his amused expression. His smirk grew and he lifted his hand before wiggling his fingers. She rolled her eyes with a scoff before turning back around.

"We had a bit of a spat-"

"What else is new," Lavender snorted.

"…and he's being a complete ass about it. He's just trying to get under my skin," Hermione said with a shrug.

When Lavender didn't respond Hermione looked up again only to find Lavender's eyes focused on something over her shoulder. Hermione turned around and blinked, mouth falling open as her eyes landed on Ginny. She hurriedly stood as the redhead took a step back, giving Hermione room.

"Hey," Hermione breathed, quite shocked that the other girl was here with her, let alone left her room.

"Hey," Ginny whispered.

She gave an awkward wave to Lavender.

"Wh- Is everything okay," Hermione asked, concerned.

Ginny didn't look too much better than the last time her and Hermione had spoken, which was about a week or so ago.

"Um…yeah. I just- can we talk?"

"Of course!"

Hermione turned around and signaled an apology to Lavender. The other girl simply waved her off with a small smile. Hermione followed Ginny out of the Great Hall. Ginny slowed before turning to face Hermione, eyes watery.

"How are you," Ginny shakily asked.

Hermione blinked before frowning in confusion.

"I may barely get out of my room, Hermione, but I still heard about you and…Blaise…and _her_."

Hermione nodded with a quiet 'oh', blinking in realization.

"I'm…okay," she finally said.

" _Are you?_ People have been saying some…awful things, Hermione. You're still my friend, no matter how I may feel right now and I know that I have no reason nor right to pry, but I just want to make sure that you're okay," she said.

Hermione sighed.

"I've been better…but I'm getting better. Lavender has been a big help to me."

Ginny solemnly nodded with a tight smile.

"So, it's true. The two of you really have buried the hatchet. I get it…she was there for you when I couldn't be," Ginny said.

"When you didn't want to be," Hermione murmured.

There was an awkward pause, a tense silence before Hermione exhaled.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that-"

"It's okay. You were thinking it," Ginny grumbled.

Hermione sighed.

"Ginny…"

"No, I understand. _She_ was there for you and _I_ wasn't."

"Stop this, now."

"So, what is she now, your new best friend? I wasn't around, so you had to replace me-"

"You know what? You were right! You have no right to pry and act this way when you were the one who pushed _me_ away," Hermione snapped.

"Because you betrayed my trust," Ginny hissed.

"I was trying to help! Merlin, why can't you see that? I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Gosh, Ginny you put me in a horrible position. I was so worried about you, I mean, there were times when I thought that-"

Hermione cut herself off and clenched her jaw.

"You thought that what," Ginny demanded.

Hermione huffed and put her hands on her hips before looking away. Ginny suddenly let out a humorless laugh, scoffing as she put two and two together.

"Please do not tell me that you thought I was actually going to off myself over _some boy_ ," Ginny sneered.

"You say it like it's a ludicrous notion. It's not just some boy, Ginny, it's 'Harry freaking Potter'! You've been in love with him for as long as I can remember and he had just broken your heart. You can't honestly blame me for thinking that."

Ginny shook her head.

"Whatever. Go back and enjoy your breakfast with your new best friend," Ginny whispered.

"Ginny," Hermione called after her, but the only response she got was the view of Ginny's back as she walked away.

Hermione blinked away the tears as she let out a shaky sigh, resting her arms on her head and looking up at the ceiling.

"That was heartbreaking."

She spun around with a glare to find him leaning against the closed doors of the hall. He looked as put together as always, not a hair out of place. Hermione dropped her arms with a shake of her head.

"What are you, spying on me now," she sneered.

He pushed away from the doors with a quiet chuckle. He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth as he swaggered towards her, one hand shoved into his pocket.

"I saw the two of you leave. I figured that it wouldn't be pretty so I came to uh…check on you," he said.

Hermione laughed.

"Your concern is touching, really. Please," she scoffed.

She shook her head at him.

"You're not fooling anyone. I know exactly where your uh…," she glanced at his crotch "… _concern_ is coming from."

He pressed his hand to his chest as he stepped towards her, mouthing twisting into an 'o' shape, eyes closed as if he were in pain.

"You _wound_ me, Hermione. Is it so hard to believe that I am genuinely worried about your wellbeing," he asked.

"Yes, it is. You're a sleaze, Draco, no better than your house mate," she whispered.

Her eyes widened as he suddenly gripped her arm, pulling her against him. She swallowed as her heart sped up, her chest brushing his as he glared down at her.

"You can insult me however you like, but I am no rapist. I get what I want through pure talent. _Do not_ compare me to that sick, wannabe carbon copy of me. Got it?"

Hermione could see that her slip of the tongue had rubbed him the wrong way. She nodded.

"Good," he whispered.

He didn't let her go though and Hermione realized that she wasn't exactly pushing him away either. Their breaths were synchronized as he reached up to brush a stray hair away from her face. His fingers lingered, running down her cheek.

"Would you believe me if I told you that you were the best I'd ever had," he murmured.

Hermione flushed as he backed her into the wall, the Great Hall doors right beside them.

"N-no. You'd say anything, do anything to get me to have sex with you again," she quietly responded.

"Maybe. Maybe not. It doesn't change the fact that it's true."

He reached behind her to trail his index finger up the curve of her spine, drawing a gasp from her and forcing her hips to lift away from the wall.

"I don't believe you," she forced out.

"Oh, I think you do," he purred with a slow nod.

She frantically glanced around.

"You need to stop. Somebody could walk by any moment," she said.

His grin was predatory.

"I know. Exciting, isn't it," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"What do you want from me," she quietly asked as her eyes reconnected with his.

He pressed the palm of his hands beside her head, leaning in so that his lips were right in front of hers.

"You know what I want."

"Well, go find somebody else. There's no shortage of girls in this school who would be more than happy to bend over backwards for you…literally," she responded.

He let out a husky chuckle.

"I find them…disappointing. I want you," he said with conviction.

Hermione swallowed before shoving him away from her.

"Well, there's plenty more disappointment in store for you then," she said before opening the hall doors and walking inside.

* * *

Hermione was sitting in the common area, bent over her parchment and eyebrows furrowed, focused on her homework when there was a frantic pounding on the portrait. Hermione sat up with a fright. She frowned in confusion before hurriedly getting up and swinging the portrait open. Lavender stood before her, out of breath.

"What-"

"He's awake."

* * *

Hermione stood at the end of the bed, looking at his still form as he slept. There was only one other patient in the infirmary, their snores reaching her ears as they slept. It was quite late and she shouldn't have been there, but she didn't care. She straightened up as he stirred, her jaw clenching as he blinked a few times before his eyes finally remained open. She watched as he looked around before his eyes landed on her. Her temper flared as that nasty smirk graced his lips.

"Hermione…"

Hermione did not respond, simply stared at him before walking towards him.

"Do you remember? Do you remember what you tried to do to me," she quietly demanded.

He exhaled, feigning contemplation.

"You may have to jog my memory. There have been quite a few of you…"

Hermione clenched her fists, forcing herself to not sink them into his pretty face.

"I haven't told anyone."

He smiled.

"I noticed. Have you changed your mind? Finally going to spread your-"

Hermione cut him off as she slapped her hand against his chest and pressed down. Blaise coughed, the weariness of his body becoming obvious. Hermione stared into his eyes.

"Shut up. You will not speak until I'm done because right now I am going to do the talking. Understand?"

His eyes narrowed and his jaw was clenched, but he reluctantly nodded. Hermione smiled.

"Good. I haven't told anyone because I want to put this behind me. I don't want to be in the spotlight again, I don't want to see my name and face in the papers again. More importantly, I don't want this to reflect badly on Hogwarts because it is my home. I would like to pretend like this never happened, but I can't do that. You see, I feel that it is my duty to make sure some other poor girl doesn't fall to a similar fate. So, do not take my silence as you getting off the hook because you're not off the hook," she began.

She leaned in closer until their noses were practically touching.

"You disgust me. I would like nothing more than to see you locked up. Now, hear me and believe me when I say that I will be watching you. My eyes will follow you wherever you go and if I hear or see something that sounds suspicious… If I even _think_ that you've gotten too frisky with another girl, _your ass is mine_. You will be out of here before you can even blink. Do we have an understanding, Blaise?"

She backed away and watched as he stared her down, face twisted into a sneer.

"Yeah, yeah I understand. Right now, you're in charge, but that won't last," he furiously whispered.

"What the hell are you on about?"

He reached out and pulled her closer, forcing a gasp out of her.

"It means that I'm onto you and your roommate."

He shoved her away, glaring at her as she backed away from him. She sent him one last glare before turning around and exiting the infirmary.

* * *

 **Wait for it, wait for it...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

"I beg your pardon?"

Hermione stared at the older witch in shock, she could hardly believe what she was hearing. Headmistress McGonagall raised an eyebrow, Hermione's distress must have been quite obvious. From beside her, Hermione heard Draco heave a rather loud sigh.

"A Halloween ball, _Ms. Top-Of-Your-Class_ ," he mockingly repeated.

She turned to glare at him while he simply looked at McGonagall, pretending as if he hadn't just acted rather rudely towards her.

"Thank you, I heard," she bit out.

"Could have fooled me," he whispered, staring straight ahead.

She felt her blood boil and she began to rise out of her chair when McGonagall's voice stopped her.

"Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy…that is _enough_. As I said earlier, Halloween is in two weeks. It appears to me that this school is as divided as ever. I do not believe that I am wrong in that assumption…"

Hermione sheepishly looked away as she sat up in her chair before swallowing.

"I had thought that the two of you were getting along rather nicely."

Hermione flushed and she swore that she heard Draco chuckle. She looked over to find that she had been right. His fist was pressed against his mouth, but she could see the proud smirk he wore as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He cleared his throat before composing himself and sitting up. He frowned, feigning concern and bewilderment.

" _We were_ , Headmistress. In fact…"

Hermione glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. A slow smirk made its way onto his lips, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"…you would be pleasantly surprised at the progress that _Hermione_ and I have made."

 _Sweat slicked bodies…breathy moans…tangled limbs…love bites…_

Hermione pushed forward in her chair, glaring at Draco as he smirked at her, gazing at her through hooded eyes. She was positive that she knew exactly where his thoughts were headed.

"Y-yes…but um…b-but uh…you see, things happen. _Malfoy_ and I have been at odds for years. I mean, we've only been Heads for about two months now. You can't honestly expect-"

"I _can_ expect and I _do_ expect. I know that I made the right decision when I appointed the both of you as Heads for this school year. Do not prove me wrong. You'd think that after living through such traumatic events that everyone in this school would be more than happy to get along with one another. You'd think it would force the students to gain some perspective. Apparently not…"

Hermione watched as Headmistress McGonagall rose from her chair, walking towards them. She sighed, a sad and disappointed sound.

"I am counting on the both of you to make them see reason. This school has been through too much only to end up where we are now. Do whatever you must to achieve it, but I want to see some real progress and soon. Is that understood?"

Hermione sank in her seat.

"Yes, ma'am," she murmured.

"Good."

* * *

Hermione punched Draco in the arm as soon as they stepped into the corridor. How dare he! He clutched his arm and looked down at her with wide eyes, oozing false innocence.

" _What_ was that for?"

She clenched her teeth as she glared up at him, so very tempted to curse him.

"You know _exactly_ what that was for," she hissed as she stepped towards him.

"I honestly have no idea what you are talking about," he chuckled.

"Please! Telling her that she would be 'pleasantly surprised' at the 'progress' we've made? What the hell do you think you are playing at?"

He towered over her as he leaned in.

"Did I lie, Hermione? Don't you think we've made progress?"

Hermione huffed before crossing her arms over her chest, looking away.

"I don't know what to think right now. She wants us throw a darn Halloween ball…and now of all times. As if my life wasn't currently screwed up enough. Ugh!"

She threw her hands up and began to pace. She didn't notice him walking towards her until his hands rested on her hips, heat immediately flaring to life within her as he forced her to come to a stop, pressing his chest to her back.

"Need my help to _screw_ it up some more?"

She threw herself away from him before turning around to sneer at him.

" _Do not_ touch me! I am so irritated with you right now I can hardly think straight."

"I'm flattered."

Her eye twitched as she glowered at him. He sighed.

"Look, I'll take care of the Halloween shindig," he proposed.

She frowned, blinking, before leaning her head back.

"What? Why?"

"It's not like _my_ life is in shambles at the moment. I've got plenty of time on my hands-"

"Oh no. I am not leaving you to do this alone. Merlin knows what kind of sorcery you'll come up with," she said.

He shrugged.

"Fine. Suit yourself then…"

Hermione sighed.

"Just how are we supposed to force unity on this darn school? The majority of us are as stubborn as the day is long," Hermione said with a shake of her head.

"She did say that we could use any means necessary…"

Hermione looked up at him in confusion.

"Okay…?"

He chuckled.

"Don't you see what this means," he questioned.

She shook her head. He smirked.

"We have a party to plan, my little Gryffindor."

* * *

" _Two days?_ This is kind of short notice don't you think?"

"Yes, I realize that, but if anybody can get the word out, it's you. You _are_ kind of at the center of the gossip mill. No offense intended," Hermione added.

Lavender shook her head.

"None taken. Look, I get that she wants unity and all of that crap, but how many people do you think are actually going to come to a Gryffindor party?"

Hermione pouted.

"What are you saying," Hermione asked, kind of offended.

"I'm saying that absolutely nobody from Slytherin is going to come. McGonagall can deny it all she wants, but her main goal is to unite our house with theirs," Lavender explained.

"Well, then what do you suggest I do? She's breathing down our necks and if we don't come up with something soon then-"

"Have Slytherin host it," Lavender proposed, shrugging.

Hermione scoffed.

"Okay and what makes you think that's going to be any better?"

Lavender chuckled.

"Ravenclaw will definitely come and more Gryffindors are bound to turn up at a Slytherin party than the other way around. We don't have as much pride and if most of us go…," she trailed off.

"So will some Hufflepuffs," Hermione finished.

"Problem solved," Lavender said with a shrug.

"Hardly. If Slytherin hosts then that means Draco will mostly be in charge. I don't even want to think about the things he'll come up with," Hermione said with a shake of her head.

"Hermione, you need to relax. I'm sure that Malfoy will do a fine job. Besides, you have bigger things to worry about," Lavender hinted.

"Like what," Hermione asked with a frown.

"Zabini was released from the infirmary yesterday," Lavender said.

Hermione blinked, heart skipping a beat before she finally nodded.

"Well, it's not like he could stay in there forever," she mumbled with a shrug.

No matter how much she may have wanted him to.

"Hermione, he's got it out for you," Lavender slowly began.

Hermione looked up at this.

"I don't know what you said when you visited him, but he's not happy. In fact, I'm willing to bet that you are his least favorite person, right now."

"I'm not surprised," Hermione responded as her eyes found the ceiling.

"What _did_ you say to him?"

Hermione took a deep breath before placing her hands on her hips.

"That's not important. He can stay mad, for all I care, but he knows not to lay a hand on me…or anyone else, for that matter," Hermione said.

"Brave words, Granger."

Hermione turned around to face the speaker as she heard Lavender's sharp intake of breath behind her. Blaise walked towards them, an intimidating sight, with a sneer on his pretty face.

"Really…I'm shaking in my boots," he said.

He glanced at the other Gryffindor behind her with a small smirk.

"Brown…how's detention," he mockingly questioned.

Hermione spoke up before Lavender had time to react.

"Don't talk to her, talk to me. What do you want," Hermione demanded.

He glanced at Lavender before jerking his head towards the other corridor.

"I'm not going-"

"It's fine, Lavender," Hermione interrupted, her eyes trained on the Slytherin.

"Hermione…"

Hermione looked over her shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"He doesn't scare me."

Lavender stared at Hermione before glaring at Blaise and back before walking away, glancing over her shoulder before turning the corner. Hermione exhaled before turning back around to face Blaise. She stood her ground as he stepped towards her, eyes narrowed and head tilted.

"You think you're so smart, don't you?"

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest before smiling at him, raising an eyebrow, signaling for him to continue.

"You think you've got it all figured out," he slowly murmured.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. I _do_ know that you aren't stupid. In fact, you're quite the opposite, Blaise. You aren't going to do anything that will get you kicked out of this school," Hermione said as she stared him down.

"You're right. I won't, but then again, I think we all find ourselves doing something stupid because we think it's worth it," he laughed.

Hermione swallowed.

"Isn't that right, Hermione? Don't we all make impulsive decisions that come back to bite us in the ass," he quietly mocked.

Hermione scoffed.

"Whatever you _think_ you know, I can assure you that you're wrong," she snapped.

"Blaise! Granger!"

"Perfect," she heard Blaise snicker as she turned around to face a familiar voice.

Hermione could have screamed in exasperation. She stared at Draco with a look that could kill as he approached them. He didn't get the memo, his full attention focused on his housemate.

"What the hell's going on here," Draco demanded, strutting over like a proud Hippogriff.

"Nothing, Draco. We were just having a nice conversation, is all," Blaise said.

Draco glared at him for a painful amount of time before looking at her for confirmation.

"We were just talking," Hermione said through clenched teeth.

Blaise smirked at her.

"I'll see you two later, then. Can't wait for the party," he purred.

Hermione watched him walk away with clenched fists. It wasn't until he was fully out of sight that she turned to face her dorm mate.

" _Are you stupid_ ," she hissed.

Draco stared at her with a slight frown before finally answering.

"No."

"Do you just not care anymore? You come over here, demanding to know what we were talking about like you have the right. People are going to notice. _Blaise_ is going to notice," she snapped.

"What-"

"I know that means crap to you, because for whatever reason, the idea of this whole bloody school knowing about us excites you. Me, on the other hand…," she trailed off as she stepped towards him.

Draco's eyebrows raised as the tip of her wand pressed into his chest. A slow smirk made its way onto his lips.

"I just might let this school burn to the ground before I let that happen. Do you understand me?"

Draco made a humming noise, signaling a yes, eyes raking over her small frame.

"I mean it, Draco," she said, snapping, forcing his eyes back to her face.

He pushed her wand away.

"Whatever you say, Hermione. So, was Blaise just being an ass or did you really get on board with my party idea," he questioned as he wiggled his eyebrows.

Hermione sighed and shook her head.

"Yes…I did. After a nice chat with Lavender, it was brought to my attention that it might be in our best interest to…have Slytherin be in charge of it," she reluctantly said.

"Two surprises wrapped in one. How exciting," he practically sang.

"Can I trust you to not let this get out of hand," she asked.

"Of course."

"Draco…"

She gazed up at him as he smirked down at her.

" _Can I trust you?_ McGonagall stressed how important this is to her and therefore, it's important to me. Please, don't ruin this," she begged.

His lips formed into a small smile.

"I promise…you won't be disappointed. You can trust me, Hermione," he replied.

Hermione nodded, taken back by the sincerity in his words.

"Good. I'll leave you to it then. I have to get to dinner now," she said.

She had just walked past him when he reached out to wrap his hand around her upper arm, halting all movement. Before she had time to fully comprehend what had just happened, she was jerked back into him, her body pressed against his as he leaned down towards her. She swallowed, looking up at him with wide eyes as he stared down at her with icy, hard ones. The temperature around them dropped and the air became tense as his jaw clenched, his grip on her arm tightening, almost painfully.

"What were the two of you talking about," he quietly demanded.

Hermione blinked.

"H-he was…"

She was suddenly at a loss for words as she became all too aware of their close proximity. She licked her lips as she looked up at the strands of hair falling into his face, piercing eyes gazing into hers and sinful lips twisted into a frown. The hard expanse of his chest was pressed against her soft one, heartbeats synchronized into one. Her reaction was her own doing, though because Draco wasn't trying to seduce her. No, this was a product of her own mind…

"What did he say to you?"

Draco's hard voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"He…he insinuated that we…I don't know what gave him the idea. He has it in his head that we have something going on when I never gave any sort of indication," she breathed.

"Did he threaten you," he asked.

She shook her head.

"Steer clear of Blaise, Hermione. Although, I'm pretty sure that I don't need to remind you of that," he said.

Hermione snapped out of it at his request. She blinked before frowning up at him.

"Thanks, but I can take care of myself. I don't need you telling me what to do," she said before backing away from, attempting to free her arm from his grip.

Draco let out an unamused chuckle, a husky sound that settled warmly in the pit of her stomach, before roughly yanking her back towards him, knocking the wind out of her.

"Yeah, I've heard that one before," he sneered.

She leaned away as he bent his head down, all traces of humor gone as he glared down at her.

"I'm not asking this time. I'm not even suggesting. I am telling you to stay away from him."

Hermione defiantly glared into his eyes before deciding to choose her battles wisely and settled for a nod. She stepped away from him as soon as he let her go.

"Now, if you'll excuse me…I have a party to plan," he said.

He brushed past her with a grin, leaving her with an aching arm and a conflicted mind.

* * *

Hermione walked down the stairs with a small frown as she looked to her left and right. The walk from the Gryffindor common room had been quiet and awkward. She'd assumed that it would get better along the way, but she couldn't have been more wrong. She heaved a sigh before wringing her hands.

"Seriously guys? It's not like we're all strangers," she said.

Harry cleared his throat.

"Sorry. It is a tad awkward. I mean…I dated his best friend," Lavender began.

"…and you broke them up," Harry continued.

"Plus, Harry knew he was screwing around with _my_ best friend…"

"…and it's not like I could say anything because she and I aren't exactly friends."

"Hey, first of all, I did not break them up. It was inevitable," Hermione squeezed in.

She ignored Lavender's sound of protest.

"It was. I just sped the process along," Hermione defended.

"Point is, Hermione, this is a bit weird. I lied to Ron tonight about what I was doing," Harry said as they made their way to the dungeons.

"That's not my fault, Harry. You could have told him the truth," she said.

Lavender scoffed beside her, voicing everyone's thoughts on that statement.

"You know as well as I how sour that would have gone. Ron doesn't accept me being friends with the 'enemy'. It's either you or him…"

"Well, this is goes beyond his pettiness," she said as she turned around.

She put her hands on her hips and frowned at them.

"Now, I'm not exactly _thrilled_ about this either, but this is really important. Headmistress McGonagall seems to be really distressed that we are all not getting along as well as she thought we would. More specifically, our house and _theirs_. I gave her my word that I would do whatever it took to make some real progress and if I have to suck it up and dance with the snakes then so do you."

"I'm not the one with the problem," Lavender said pointedly at Harry.

They both turned their gazes onto him. He stared at them with a look that screamed he would rather be anywhere else, but he eventually sighed with a reluctant nod.

"For McGonagall," he said before walking past them and leading the rest of the way to the Slytherin entrance.

Hermione stated the password, stepping back in shock as a cloud of mist collided with their faces. They could faintly, very faintly, hear music coming from the dark, narrow hallway. Harry glanced back at her with a worried frown before reluctantly entering.

"Looks promising to me," Lavender said with a shrug before following.

Hermione sighed, praying that she wouldn't regret this before stepping inside. She spun around, curls flying, as it loudly shut behind her. The short hallway that led to the lively common room was dark and barely wide enough for two people to walk in side by side. That didn't hinder the lone couple that was pressed up against the right wall though, mouths connected and legs tangled in each other.

Hermione stepped past them with a grimace, looking ahead, only to realize that Harry and Lavender had already disappeared into the party. There was a green tint coming from the party, entering the hall and as soon as Hermione stepped out did she know why.

The equivalent of a strobe light lit up the large room with a dark green glow. It illuminated the massive number of bodies in the room, moving and bouncing around to the music. Hermione stood at the top of the short set of steps, the sound of partygoers surrounding her. Everywhere she looked, bodies were covered and decorated in glow in the dark paint.

Hermione yelped in surprise when a hand brushed across her arm. She turned to face the partygoer as he laughed. She stared at him for a few seconds before recognizing him as Dean, Seamus behind him, both of them sporting orange paint on their faces. Hermione looked down to see a bright orange handprint on her forearm.

"We saw Harry step in, so we figured you'd be here sooner or later," Seamus yelled over the music.

Hermione smiled.

"Is it that obvious that I would drag him here," she questioned.

They both nodded with a laugh before Dean gently grabbed her arm.

"As if he'd come on his own. Come dance with us," he shouted.

Hermione shook her head with a small smile, declining.

"Oh come on! Relax a little," Seamus agreed as he grabbed her other arm.

Hermione protested, to no avail, as they both dragged her into the sea of bodies. She laughed as Seamus bent over and swung his head around while Dean grabbed her hand and twirled her around a few times. He spun her out and into his arms before spinning her away again. Hermione surprisingly found that she was enjoying herself, minus the nagging thought of wondering where Harry and Lavender were.

"Hey…um…you don't think Ginny will show up, do you," Dean yelled into her ear as he leaned down.

Hermione pulled away with a small frown, shaking her head. Dean sadly nodded before swallowing and asking:

"How is she?"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply before snapping it shut with a shake of her head. Hermione noticed that he had lost some momentum as he continued to dance. She didn't know how she felt about the fact that Dean had noticed Ginny's unusual behavior while Harry and her brother hadn't.

"Are-are you alright," she asked him.

"Yeah," he yelled as he brushed her question off.

Hermione stared sadly at him.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want anything," she questioned.

Dean shook his head before suddenly brushing past her, disappearing into the crowd. She turned to ask Seamus only to find him dancing with some eager Ravenclaw. Hermione pushed her way to the back of the common room where she assumed the refreshments would be. She was proven right as a large table of food and drinks appeared in her vision. She pushed her way past students crowded around it to look for something suitable to drink. There were so many choices that Hermione didn't know where to begin. Draco had gone all out and she was reluctant to admit that she wasn't disappointed.

"Here!"

She reared back as a drink was shoved in her face from the side. She glanced at Harry as he held out a glass towards her. His lips were smeared with bright blue paint. She raised an eyebrow, guessing where it had come from and wondering if Harry knew it was there.

"Thanks. What is it," she asked, accepting the offer.

"Just Pumpkin Juice," he waved off.

"Have you seen Lavender, by the way," she asked.

"Last I saw, she had her tongue down some guy's throat," Harry said with a shrug.

Hermione gulped down half of her drink before nodding.

"I saw Dean…he asked about Ginny," she suddenly said.

Harry glanced at her before frowning with a shake of his head. He rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

"Hermione, don't."

She frowned in confusion.

"Don't what, Harry," she questioned.

"You know what," he suddenly snapped.

"I'm not doing-"

"Yes, you are. You're trying to make me feel bad for breaking up with her! I know what you're implying. Dean really cares about her and I didn't, right? He could have made her happy while all I did was waste her time," he bit out.

"Harry, that's not what I…"

"That's exactly what you're doing," he said.

Hermione noticed the dilation of his eyes and that his words began to slur. He ran a hand through his unruly hair as she squinted at him.

"Are you drunk," she demanded.

"No, I'm not. I've only had about three drinks, Hermione. I don't have to be drunk to call you out on your condescending crap," he stated.

Hermione frowned at him before exhaling.

"I didn't mean anything by it, Harry. I was just trying to say that I'm worried about-"

"Ginny, I know! Everyone knows how worried you are about Ginny, damn. Guess what, Hermione? Ginny is a big girl. She doesn't need her _mum_ looking after her," he rudely said before shoving past her.

She sighed.

"I'm worried about Dean," she quietly finished to herself before swallowing the rest of her drink.

She grabbed another cup of Pumpkin Juice before going to search for Lavender. She bumped into a rather tall figure, almost spilling her drink if it weren't for the hands that plucked it from her failing grasp. She looked up and frowned as her brown eyes clashed with obsidian ones.

"Hermione."

She narrowed her eyes at him before taking a step back. Bright green paint covered half of his face and the front of his hair.

"Where's your four eyed sidekick and the school cum dump? I saw them come in with you," he remarked.

She snatched her drink away from him, resisting the urge to curse him into oblivion.

"I'm not sure where _Lavender_ is and for the record, I just finished speaking to _Harry_. I'd watch my tongue if I were you," she hissed.

"And I'd watch my back if I were you. You might find a knife in it one day," he calmly replied with a small smirk before pushing her out of his way.

She glared at his back before swallowing down her drink within four gulps. She really hated him… She glanced around, looking for familiar blonde ringlets. She shook her head, recalling the words Harry had spoken to her. She kept telling herself that he only said those things because he was drunk. Even as she thought this, she knew that he was tipsy at best. His behavior hadn't been that outlandish to conclude that he was totally pissed. Even so, his words to her still rang in her head.

She wasn't condescending…much, anyway. Besides, he had jumped to conclusions, going off about something that was way off the mark of what she was thinking. She spotted Seamus with the same girl from before and hurriedly made her way over to him.

"Have you seen Lavender," she questioned.

He shook his head, swaying to the music as the dark haired girl wrapped her arms around him. She frowned.

"Well, what about Dean?"

She really wanted to speak with him. Again, Seamus shook his head. Hermione sighed before spinning around, stumbling as she did so. She steadied herself before shaking her head in confusion. The music suddenly stopped and a spotlight was shown onto the steps near the entrance. Hermione looked up, her eyes landing on the Head Boy as he smirked down at the crowd of students. Hermione felt her shoulders sag as she gazed at him, shirt unbuttoned and opened to reveal a chest marked with brightly colored hand prints. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, but to her fogged mind, it looked like a layer of fresh rain drops.

She frowned, shaking the weird thoughts from her head and blinked up at him as she suddenly realized that he was saying something. Suddenly all eyes were on her and she found herself being pushed and pulled towards him by several pairs of hands. She stumbled onto the steps beside him, hearing finally returning as she steadied herself.

"Now that we've found the Head Girl…who looks like she's finally loosened up a bit to me," Draco joked.

Everyone laughed and Hermione frowned, rubbing her temple.

"As I was saying, this lovely little shindig was Headmistress McGonagall's idea," Draco haughtily stated.

Everyone clapped and cheered, forcing a sharp pain to shoot through her skull. She pushed her hair away from her face, forcing herself to stand upright. Her eyes ran over the room, eyes finally spotting Lavender near the back wall, next to McLaggen. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Hermione could actually hear her heartbeat in her ears as she glanced down at her hand. It began to blur… Something wasn't right.

"…so do you think we can pull this off? I don't know about Granger here, but I want it to be put on record that we were the only Heads to ever do this…"

Draco was speaking. She had a feeling it was about something important, but she was only catching bits and pieces. She glanced up just in time to catch his confused glance towards her. Hermione didn't know what the hell was going on. Everyone cheered again at something else that he said before the spotlight disappeared and everyone began dancing again. A few seconds later her hearing came back and she realized that the music had returned.

She clutched her stomach as she realized that there was a firm grip on her arms, forcing her stumbling feet forward.

"Hermione…"

She bent over with a groan, the firm hands holding steady.

"Hermione, what did you drink?"

She opened her mouth to say Pumpkin Juice, but nothing came out. In fact, nothing happened at all because at that moment everything began to fade.

* * *

"You've got to help me get her out of here. If word gets out that Hermione Granger got herself drugged up at a party that _I_ was in charge of, the both of us can kiss our positions as Heads goodbye."

Somebody was speaking…it sounded like Draco.

"I'll think of something. Just keep her in my room for now…"

Hermione exhaled, blinking once, twice before opening her eyes. She stared up at the ceiling in wonder, mind going a mile a minute as she began to take in her surroundings. Her head was pounding and weighed a ton as she swallowed, throat incredibly dry. She slowly forced herself to sit up, leaning back on her elbows as her eyes darted around just as the door opened. The sound of music drifted into the room before it was cut off as the door snapped shut. That's right, there was a party…

She blinked as her eyes landed on the Head Boy as he stormed over to her, before kneeling with a frown. She protested and swatted at him as he grabbed her head and turned it from side to side, gazing into her eyes. She rested her hand on his arm as she stared into his hardened eyes.

"I think you've been drugged," he growled out as he stood.

"Oh," she slowly responded.

Somewhere in her mind an alarm went off, recognizing that that was a bad thing. However, she couldn't find it in her to care at the moment. She was so thirsty.

"What did you drink," he demanded.

Hermione reached out to run her fingers through his hair instead of answering. She jumped as he snatched her hand, halting her movement. His nostrils flared as he huffed, visibly angry.

"Hermione, _focus_. What did you have," he repeated.

Hermione tilted her head to the side before answering.

"Pumpkin Juice."

"And…?"

"…and Pumpkin Juice," she said with a slow nod as if she were talking to a child.

She watched as Draco frowned before mumbling to himself. It was quite…cute. Hermione crinkled her nose as she reached out with her other hand to run it down his exposed chest, smearing the bright paint. She jumped again, adrenaline coursing through her veins as his grip tightened on her wrists. She smiled as he glared down at her.

"Stop. This is a very dangerous game you're playing," he whispered.

"Maybe I like danger."

He smirked, amused.

"That I can believe," he said before shoving her onto her back and backing up.

He sighed, folding his arms over her chest. She pushed herself onto her elbows and frowned at him. His muscles were taut with tension and his jaw was clenched, hands folded into fists as he took deep breaths.

"Are you mad," she quietly asked.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm _fucking furious_. Everything was going great, hell, everything was perfect and then you go and get yourself drugged. _You_ , of all people. Hermione freaking Granger is the only one to end up like this at my party," he snapped.

Hermione shrank at his harsh words.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

He shook his head.

"No, no this isn't your fault. Don't listen to me. I'm intoxicated and irritated, not a good combination," he said as he began to pace.

"I can't get you out of here without being seen. At least, I don't trust myself to. If Headmistress McGonagall finds out we're done for…"

"No," Hermione protested.

She liked being Head Girl…a lot.

"I bet it was Blaise. When I get my hands on him, I'm going to wring his neck," he hissed.

"Well, that's not very nice. Then again, neither was he. He was quite rude to me, actually," she nonchalantly said.

Draco stopped pacing and snapped his head towards her, bright eyes attentive.

"What?"

"What," Hermione asked.

"What did you just say," he demanded as he walked towards her.

"When…?"

Draco huffed before kneeling in front of her.

"Just a second ago, Hermione…"

Hermione blinked.

"I said 'when'," she answered.

Draco gripped her shoulders, forcing her to sit up straight.

"You said something about Blaise. Did you see him tonight," he questioned.

"Yes," Hermione chirped.

"Did he give you anything?"

Hermione slowly shook her head.

"Are you sure," Draco asked.

"Of course I'm sure. I had two cups, _two cups_ , of Pumpkin Juice," she slurred.

Draco heaved a very long sigh as he looked away. Hermione suddenly twisted her head around, taking in the space. She looked down at the bed before lightly bouncing on it.

"Where are we," she asked.

"We're in Teddy's room."

Hermione tilted her head, frowning in confusion.

"Teddy…Teddy. Teddy, Teddy, Teddy."

Draco smirked, gazing at her as the cogs in her brain were put to work.

"Teddy…nickname…Theodore! Theodore…Theo… _dore_ … Hmm. Nott," she loudly asked.

"Good job. Yes, we're in Theodore's room," he answered.

"Oh. How is he," she suddenly asked.

Draco chuckled.

"He's good. I'll tell him that you asked about him," Draco said.

Hermione slowly nodded.

"That's good," she sadly replied.

Draco must have noticed her change in mood.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I think Dean is sad…"

"Dean…?"

"Yes, Dean Thomas?"

"I'm…familiar with him," Draco said.

"Good. He's a nice boy," Hermione said.

Draco frowned.

"Anyway, why do you think he's sad," Draco questioned.

"Because he loves Ginny…and Harry broke her heart," she answered.

"Scarhead is a bit of a wanker. I've been trying to show people that for ages…"

"He is, isn't he," she exclaimed.

Draco laughed. She laughed too and steadied herself by putting her hands on his shoulders.

"No, really! He… _completely_ flew off the handle tonight. He started spewing all of this rubbish about how I was being condescending and…and putting him down when all _I_ wanted to do was express my concerns for Dean! Ugh, he was jumping to so many conclusions and I…I…I really wanted to _punch_ him," she ranted.

"You wanted to punch him," he gasped out.

"Yes, right in his nose. Like that time I punched you, remember?"

"Oh, yes. I remember…"

"That was fun," Hermione said with a smile.

"Ha! For you maybe-"

Draco was cut off as Hermione grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her as she fell back onto the bed.

"Oh no. Hermione, stop…"

"You don't want me to," she said as she looked up at him, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Draco exhaled, placing one hand on the bed beside her head, blond strands falling into his face. He smirked.

"I kind of like drunk you," he stated.

Hermione's mouth fell open in shock.

"Why, because I'm easy," she demanded in mock outrage.

Draco snorted, laughing.

"No! You're honest…you don't hold anything back and yeah, you're not so uptight. For once, that stick that's normally up your ass is nowhere to be seen," he answered.

She hit his chest rather hard at that remark.

"Well my filter is gone. That might have something to do with it," she mumbled as she leaned up towards him.

"Yeah, maybe," he whispered as he caught her lips in a searing kiss.

Hermione moaned into his mouth as she tightened her legs around him, running her fingers over the back of his head. Draco ran his hand down her chest to grip her waist, pulling her closer. She began to push his shirt off of his shoulders and reached for his pants when he caught her hand in a death grip. She groaned in protest as he pulled away.

"Fuck," he hissed, holding her down as he sat up.

She reached for him in vain, squirming beneath him.

"Stop that. I'm conflicted enough as it is…"

"About what," she breathed out.

He heatedly gazed down at her, eyes swimming with sinful intentions as they bore into her own.

"About whether or not I should pound you into Teddy's bed."

Hermione stared at him in shock, facing heating up as his eyes drank her in. She licked her lips.

"I can't believe you actually say things like that to people…"

He heaved a defeated sigh before grabbing her legs, separating them so that he could get free.

"We can't do this, not like this," he said.

"Why not," she quietly asked.

She gasped in shock as he pulled her to the edge of the bed, the bulge in his pants firmly pressed against her, hands gripping her thighs. Her chest heaved in excitement as she leaned towards him. He leaned down, piercing eyes gazing into her own with a look of promise.

"Because the next time I'm inside of you, I want you to remember and I want you aware so you know exactly whose name to scream," he answered, letting her go.

She flushed and reached for him just as the door opened.

"Seriously, Draco? Are you _fucking_ kidding me?"

She frowned as Draco turned away, out of her reach to face who she assumed was Nott. She peaked around his body to settle her gaze on a tall, fair skinned dark haired blue eyed boy. His eyes practically glowed in the darkness as he stepped into the room, face twisted into a scowl.

"Don't give me that look, Teddy. _She_ seduced _me_! See," Draco defended as he gestured to Hermione's sullen face.

"I'm sure she did. Just get out here. I'm going to need your help if we want to get her past all of these damn students," Theo said.

Draco looked at her with a straight face. He gripped her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

" _Stay here_. Do not go anywhere and open this door for no one. Got it?"

Hermione nodded, watching them leave, the door slamming shut behind them. She huffed and fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, legs dangling off the edge. The door opened again and she smiled, sitting up.

"I knew that you- _you!_ "

She hurriedly scooted back as he shut the door behind him, his dark gaze pinned to her. She stood on the other side of the bed, glare trained on him.

"Come near me and I'll…," she trailed off, patting herself for her wand.

Where was it? Oh, hell. She swallowed before returning her eyes to his.

"Come near me and I'll punch you," she threatened.

"I'm petrified," Blaise mockingly said.

She hated him. Merlin, did she hate him.

"You did this to me. Draco's going to kick your ass," she stated.

He raised an eyebrow, smirk making its way onto his lips, dark hair falling onto his forehead.

" _Draco_ , is it? Interesting…"

He slowly trailed his dark eyes over her, making her skin crawl as he took a step further into the room.

"I must admit that the temptation to take advantage of this lovely opportunity is strong," he began.

Hermione swallowed, worried as she took a step back. Everything was swaying and she knew that in this state she would be no match for him. He let out a sad, disappointed sigh as he raised his wand, twirling it between his fingers.

"But that's not what I'm here for."

Hermione's eyes widened as he pointed his wand at her.

* * *

"Hermione, wake up."

She jerked, eyes flying open as she looked around. She stared in confusion for a minute before it registered where she was at. Brown clashed with silver.

"Draco?"

"Yes, it's me.

"And Theo," a voice said from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder to see Nott standing behind the couch. He wiggled his fingers with a tight lipped smile.

"Hi," she slowly said before turning back around to face her dorm mate.

She blinked.

"What happened to the party," she questioned, confused.

"It's still going on. We had to get you out of there," Draco slowly answered.

"I told you she'd hardly remember anything," Nott said.

She looked around their dorm, trying to recall.

"When we came back to the room you were out like a light. You must have passed out," Draco said.

"What? I got drunk? You let me get drunk," she exclaimed.

She couldn't believe him!

"You were _drugged_ , remember? Blaise drugged you…well, we're pretty sure it was him, anyway."

" _What?_ Why in the world would Zabini drug me," she demanded in disbelief.

Draco and Theo shared a look. She looked between the two of them.

"What? What was that look? Draco, what the hell is going on," she demanded.

"You had a run-in with him. Earlier, you told me that he was rather rude to you-"

"Draco, that makes zero sense. I can't remember the last time I even made eye contact with Zabini, let alone have a full blown conversation with him."

* * *

 **Whoops!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, so like remember that chapter in C &B that was like a dark turning point for the story and nothing was the same after that? Hehe yeah, well, here you go.**

* * *

 _" **What?** Why in the world would Zabini drug me," she demanded in disbelief._

 _Draco and Theo shared a look. She looked between the two of them._

 _"What? What was that look? Draco, what the hell is going on," she demanded._

 _"You had a run-in with him. Earlier, you told me that he was rather rude to you-"_

 _"Draco, that makes zero sense. I can't remember the last time I even made eye contact with Zabini, let alone have a full blown conversation with him."_

* * *

Draco gazed at her, eyes narrowed with a parted mouth, eyebrows furrowed deep in thought. His bright irises darted around before landing on Theo, alarmed. His features drastically changed, face suddenly hardening, jaw clenching and eyes darkening. When he spoke, his voice came out low, his serious tone sending chills down her spine.

"Theodore…go find that Brown girl, _now_."

"What do you need Lavender for," Hermione frantically asked as Nott ran out of the door.

Draco pressed his palms together, bringing his fingers up to tap against his nose. His shoulders were tense, trembling as if he were holding in a year's worth of anger.

"I'm about to tell you something…something that you're not going to believe at first," he began.

He knelt down in front of her, bringing his hands up to rest on either side of her head. She absentmindedly brought her own hands up to rest over his as he gazed into her eyes.

"…but I _need_ you to trust me, Hermione."

Hermione blinked as she registered the seriousness of the situation. Something very important was going on and she realized that now was not the time to be her normal bossy and stubborn self, so she nodded.

"Okay," she quietly responded.

"Blaise obliviated you."

She frowned, swallowing as she waited for the rest, waited for him to deliver the punch line or something. He stared at her with an unwavering gaze and she began to feel her heart speed up. She slowly pushed his hands away from her as she realized that he wasn't joking.

"Blaise obliviated me," she repeated in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Draco opened his mouth before slamming it shut. He crossed his arms over his chest as he stood, staring down at her, and deep in thought.

"Draco."

He glanced away, pursing his lips before returning his gaze to her.

"You…you saw him trying to force himself on some fifth year," he said.

Hermione's eyes widened as she brought her hand up to cover her mouth. She blinked and shook her head, standing up in shock.

"What," she gasped.

"It was after your date-"

"Our date," she incredulously asked.

"The two of you went on a second date, just a few days after your first one at Hogsmeade. He wanted to have sex with you, but you said no. The two of you got into a fight and then you left, but that same night, when you were patrolling you saw them. The girl got away safely, but you stayed and threatened to tell," he said.

Hermione exhaled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"This is when that…floral girl-"

"Lavender," she interrupted.

"Yeah, her. This is when she showed up and accidentally knocked him out while trying to protect you. He was in the infirmary for a few days and she has detention for the rest of this month," he continued.

"How do you know all of this," she questioned.

She watched as he turned around, fiddling with something on the table.

"You told me. You came back here, a complete and utter mess, crying about what had happened," he threw over his shoulder.

Hermione was troubled by the fact that she had cried in front of him, but was more disturbed by what had happened. Never in a million years would she have pegged Blaise Zabini as that type. As she thought back to the past few weeks, there _were_ gaps in her memory, but the gaps weren't even that noticeable. If Draco hadn't have explained everything, she probably wouldn't have even noticed.

"Why didn't I tell anyone?"

"You said something about wanting to protect Hogwarts' reputation. You didn't want the papers shedding negative light on the school… _again_ ," he explained, turning around and sitting back down.

Hermione sighed, realizing that that was something she'd definitely do. Hogwarts was her home, she loved the school with all of her heart and she'd protect it to the very end. She looked at Draco as she slowly sat back down.

"I must have thought that I had it all figured out, huh?"

He shrugged.

"You underestimated him," he said matter-of-factly.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You don't need to thank me for doing the right thing, Hermione. He's taken advantage of a lot of girls. I wasn't going to let your name be added to that list," he responded, brushing his fingers over her shoulder.

"If you think this means I'm going to have sex with you again, you're out of luck," she said.

"You sure you don't need me to jog _that_ particular memory," he quietly asked her.

She glared at him before suddenly standing up with a loud gasp.

"What?"

"Oh, Merlin," she breathed, covering her mouth.

"What? What is it," he demanded.

"What if he knows?"

Draco sighed, stretching his legs out, unfazed. She spun around to face him, heart racing as she panicked.

"Draco, I'm serious! I know that you couldn't care less, but I do. What if he knows about us? There's no telling what he did to my head," she exclaimed.

"You're too focused on the wrong things," he said.

His nonchalant attitude about this touchy subject angered her and she grabbed a book off of the table and threw it. He ducked, the book sailing past his head and breaking something in the kitchen.

"I can't believe you! You know, I'm really starting to regret ever sleeping with you in the first place. It has done nothing but cause me trouble," she shrieked.

Her eyes watered and she pushed her hair away from her forehead as she clenched her teeth. Her breath came out in choppy pants and she did everything she could to hold it together. She pressed her hand to her chest, positive that this was what a heart attack felt like. What if Blaise knew? What if he decided to blackmail her or something? Draco suddenly stood, nostrils flaring and eyes blazing as he towered over her.

"Okay, you need to calm the fuck down… _now_ ," he spat.

Just then the portrait slammed shut and they both looked up to see Nott carrying an unconscious Lavender, a cautious and uncertain look on his face. His eyes shifted between the two of them in concern, taking in Hermione's flustered state and Draco's angry stare.

"Oh my gosh," Hermione cried as she ran over to him, fluttering over Lavender's limp form.

She followed Nott to the couch where he laid her down at and Hermione immediately knelt beside her.

"Was she…?"

Hermione couldn't even finish her sentence as she stared at the other witch. Physically, she looked okay, but she was just recently finding out how dangerous Zabini could be, so there was no telling what he had done.

"No, no, I don't think so. Just her mind was messed with, nothing else," Nott answered, catching onto what she was asking.

Hermione sighed in relief. Draco was right, she _had_ underestimated him and that was something she vowed to never do again. She looked up just as Draco walked past the couch, heading for the door. She wouldn't have been concerned about where he was going, but the look on his face told her that she had reason to worry. She hurriedly stood up, dashing over to him.

"Where are you going?"

He heaved a sigh, looking down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Where do you _think_ I'm going, Hermione?"

She shook her head, understanding dawning on her features.

"No, Draco, you can't. You're stooping down to his level," she protested.

She growled when he ignored her, stepping out of the portrait with her hot on his tail. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to come to a stop. He spun around, glaring down at her with a look so intense she was forced to take a step back.

"I understand your anger. I'm angry too, hell, I'm the one whose brain was picked apart and violated. Draco…violence solves nothing. You can't-"

She cut herself off as he walked towards her, backing her into the wall beside the dorm entrance. Her heart sped up and her eyes widened as he slammed his hands against the cobblestone beside her head, causing her to gasp. He bent down, bright eyes boring into hers as he glared at her from underneath his lashes. His hair fell into his face and his lips were set in a hard line as he brought one hand down to finger one of her curls.

"Let's get one thing straight…I can do whatever the _fuck_ I want to do and there's not a damn thing you're going to do about it," he whispered.

She swallowed, chest heaving.

"If I want to repeatedly sink my fist into his face, I will. If I want to kick him until I break his ribs, I will. If I want to _slit_ his _fucking throat_ , I will. He deserves everything that's coming to him and I'm going to make sure that he gets it," he spat.

He brought his fingers down to graze her cheek, a slow smirk taking over his lips.

"Now, you stay here and preach to Theo about nonviolence all you want while I go get my fists a little bloody," he purred, turning around and leaving her there to stare after him in concern.

* * *

Hermione sighed, turning another page in her book before glancing up at the door for the umpteenth time. She swallowed before shaking her head. She opted to sleep on the couch tonight, telling Nott to put Lavender in her bed. Nott had long left and she had taken a thirty minute shower, the blonde witch had yet to wake up yet and Hermione was growing worried. Draco had also yet to return.

Just what in Godric's name was he thinking? He could lose his Head Boy position and for what? She shook her head again, slamming her book shut and tossing it onto the table. She rubbed her temple. Why was she so concerned anyway? Draco was a big boy, more than capable of making his own decisions and being held accountable for them. She had just stood up, deciding to call it a night, when the portrait swung open, a fair haired figure stumbling in.

She gasped in shock and ran over to him, hanging onto his arm as he stumbled down the short set of steps. She led him into the kitchen, leaning him against the counter. She couldn't see his face, his head was hanging low and his hair was covering half of it, casting a shadow over the rest. She raked her eyes over him, inhaling when she noticed his bruised knuckles. He suddenly straightened up, flicking his hair away from his face, showcasing the nasty cut on his cheek.

Hermione clenched her jaw as they stared at one another before he turned towards the sink. She grabbed his hands just as he turned it on, slapping his knuckles when he tried to pull away. He hissed in pain.

"That's what you get," she chided.

She rinsed his hands off, shaking her head in a mix of disbelief and annoyance as she did so. He snatched his hands away as soon as she cut the water off.

"Draco, let me look at them," she snapped.

"You're not my mum and you're not my wife, so bugger off," he hissed.

"I'm trying to heal you, you bloody idiot," she barked.

He huffed, rolling his eyes before holding out his hands. Hermione pointed her wand at his knuckles, watching as the bruises faded, the fair color returning to his skin. She sniffed as she looked up, pointing her wand at his cheek.

"Are you crying," he scoffed.

"Yes, I am. Okay? This has been a really stressful night," she cried.

She turned away from him, resting her hands on the counter, taking deep breaths.

"I just found out that Zabini is probably one of the foulest people to ever walk these corridors. My mind was invaded and toyed with, the same with Lavender. Then you decide to go and have a fight with him, probably making things so much worse. So yes, Draco, I _am_ crying," she snapped.

"Hermione," he said as she reached for her.

She slapped his hand away, taking a deep breath as she turned to face him.

"I am going to bed now. Lavender has taken up residence in my room, so I will be sleeping in yours," she snapped.

He smirked, walking towards her when her next words stopped him.

"…alone. I think it's only fair that you sleep on the couch since, no doubt, tomorrow _I_ will be the one paying for your impulsive decision tonight," she said.

He opened his mouth to retort before thinking better of it and simply sneering at her, shoving past her and making his way towards the common area. She sighed, walking up the stairs to his room, slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

Hermione didn't realize how right she would be. That next morning she had woken up with the worst feeling ever, almost forcing her to stay in bed. It was a Saturday, so it wasn't like she would miss anything important if she did, but she couldn't. There were things that needed to be dealt with. She got up, going about her morning as she normally did until Draco barged in, demanding she get out, or didn't, because either way he had to get dressed.

He didn't have to tell her twice as she all but ran out of his room, relieved to see Lavender sitting on the couch. Despite her sleeping through the rest of the previous evening, the other witch looked exhausted.

"How are you feeling," Hermione asked as she sat down beside her.

"Like rubbish. I don't ever remember getting that drunk in my life," Lavender responded, raking her hand through her hair.

Hermione bit her lip, debating whether or not to tell Lavender the truth. Of course, would she even believe her? Hermione had a hard time believing Draco when he told her, the only thing convincing her being how unlike him he had been acting. She sighed, deciding that she would tell Lavender later when the other girl had some food in her.

"Ladies," Draco greeted as he breezed past them.

He waltzed out of the dorm, the portrait slamming shut behind him. Lavender frowned in confusion before glancing at his room door and then Hermione.

"Did you sleep in his room…?"

"It's not what you think. I gave you my bed and made him take the couch," she said with a shake of her head.

Lavender raised her eyebrows.

"Wow, you two barely get along and he's whipped. Imagine if he actually gave a rat's ass about you," she joked, rubbing her temple.

"So, I assume you're staying in today?"

"You assume right. Thanks for letting me sleep in your room, by the way. If I were you, I would have put me on the couch," Lavender replied with a laugh.

Hermione gave a small smile, standing up.

"You sure you're okay enough to be alone," Hermione asked, concerned.

Lavender waved her off.

"This isn't my first hangover, Hermione. Go on to breakfast. I'll be fine," she reassured.

Hermione reluctantly left the dorm, that feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. It seemed that Zabini had only erased all of her interactions with him because she still remembered the argument that she and Harry had last night. She remembered her conversation about Ginny with Dean and how worried he was about her. Hermione sighed, scratching the back of her head as she walked down the stairs.

Maybe she was just nervous. Maybe everything was becoming way too overwhelming for her and she was literally making herself sick with worry. That thought vanished completely, however, as she neared the Great Hall, the doors open, giving her the perfect view of a tall, dark, and handsome Slytherin making his way down in between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables.

She slowed, her eyes widening and heart racing as she stopped just inside the entrance. He wore a proud smirk, his face showing no evidence of his fight with Draco last night. She glanced around in a mixture of confusion and worry as he neared, realizing that more and more people were turning their attention towards them. She caught Draco's eye as he frowned, watching the two of them, palms pressed against the table as if he were ready to jump up at any moment.

"Hermione," Zabini quietly greeted as he stopped in front of her.

"Zabini," she cautiously replied, resisting the urge to take a step back.

He tilted his head to the side, eyebrow raised.

"You're afraid of me," he said matter-of-factly.

His smirk grew as he looked over his shoulder at the Slytherin table, his eyes meeting Draco's. He turned back around to rest his eyes on her. Hermione was very aware of the fact that just about everyone's attention was discreetly on them. Oh, they were all still chatting and eating, but she could feel their eyes watching their every move.

"What do you want?"

"I just want to chat…"

She took a step back and he gently grabbed her arm, halting her movement. He shook his head, wagging his index finger back and forth.

"Oh no, I want to chat _right here_ …in front of everyone," he said, waving his hand about towards the hall.

He was dangerous. Hermione had no doubt about that now.

"What do you want, Blaise," she demanded through clenched teeth.

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice.

"I want a lot of things, Hermione, but right now…I kind of want to kiss you. Who can blame me, really? After all, your lips do look _so…fucking…kissable_ ," he mocked.

Hermione sharply inhaled, eyes widening as she recalled those same words that Draco had uttered to her a month ago.

 _"And your lips look **so…fucking…kissable** ," he growled before claiming her lips with his own._

"Oh, yes, that's right. I saw everything and what an entertaining sight it was to behold. Who knew that you were so submissive in between the sheets?"

He chuckled as he raked his eyes over her and she cringed, throat closing up. She was going to be sick. She glanced at Draco and saw that he was shaking his head at her, questioning.

"Now, we can either lock lips, right here for everyone to see or I air out all of your dirty little laundry. Something tells me though that you really don't want people to know about you and Draco," he whispered.

"I despise you," she spat, eyes watering.

"I really don't care," he whispered.

He pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist.

" _This_ is what your little boyfriend gets for breaking my nose last night," he sneered just before pressing his lips against hers.

Hermione was in too much of a shock to notice the gasps that filled the room. She pressed her hand against his shoulder as he fisted his hand in her hair. She leaned away, sinking her teeth into his lip and more than satisfied when he snatched his face away. She stumbled back, taking pride in his bleeding lip before spinning around and running out of the Great Hall.

* * *

Hermione didn't leave the library until well after it was time for students to be in bed. She had hidden in there, like a coward, and she wasn't ashamed. She had never been so angry in her life. She was angry at Blaise, angry at Draco, and angry at herself. If she had never slept with Draco she was sure that none of this would even be happening. Then again, if Draco hadn't have hunted Blaise down last night, Blaise might not have felt the need to retaliate. She realized that that kiss wasn't even about her. Did the two of them have some sort of unspoken competition? Did Blaise view her as the perfect weapon to use against Draco or something? Was she simply that unlucky enough to be caught in the middle?

She sighed, shaking her head as she headed towards her dorm. As she approached the portrait, she could hear yelling and crying from the inside. She slowed as she heard Draco's harsh voice. She was just about to open it when it came swinging open and Pansy Parkinson came storming out.

She stopped however at the sight of Hermione and Hermione actually took a step back at the fire within her eyes. The dark haired girl stepped closer to the Gryffindor, raking her eyes over Hermione with disgust. Hermione swallowed, frowning in a mixture of fear and confusion. Parkinson finally looked into Hermione's eyes before narrowing her own. She suddenly shook her head, scoffing in disgusted disbelief before shoving past her. Hermione cautiously looked over her shoulder at the other girl's retreating figure before stepping inside. She wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted her.

Their dorm was a mess. The couch was turned over, papers strewn everywhere. The bookshelf was lying face down with books scattered around it. She saw that the side table beside the couch was broken and there were shards of glass on the floor. In the middle of the mess was her dorm mate, pajama bottoms hanging low on his hips with a naked torso. She jumped as he threw a plate at the wall above the fireplace, shards flying everywhere. She stepped down, her shoes making a crunching sound on the glass.

"Draco…?"

She froze where she was standing as he sharply turned his head towards her, his eyes zooming in on her still form. His hair fell onto his forehead as he glared at her, raising his arm to point at her.

"You."

She frowned in confusion.

"Me…?"

She stumbled away, tripping over her own feet as he stalked towards her.

"You. This is your fault," he hissed.

"I-I don't understand-"

"Have sex with me, Draco. All of my friends are leaving me behind and I need something to fill that gaping, _pathetic_ hole in my life," he mocked in a high pitched voice as he strode towards her.

She scowled, offended.

"Now, wait just a minute…"

"No, _you_ wait just a minute. This is all your fault. You did this to me," he snapped.

She stumbled around the other chair pulling it towards her, in between them, as she backed up towards the fireplace.

"I don't know w-what you-re-"

"You are the last person I had sex with," he stated.

Hermione's eyes widened.

"You mean…," she trailed off.

He gave a humorless chuckle, throwing his arms out.

"That's right. I haven't had sex in a month, so give yourself a pat on the back for that one, sweetheart because you have officially achieved what my mother has been trying to do for years," he sneered.

"Draco…I-"

"Do you know that I can't remember the last time I had a decent amount of sleep? You're in my _fucking_ head, Granger!"

Hermione took a few more steps back when he used her last name, realizing just how strung out he was.

"My sheets still smell like you. Why haven't I done anything about that? Truth be told, I kind of like that they smell like you," he laughed.

Hermione's heart was going a mile a minute as she felt like she was trapped in a cage with an agitated dragon.

"I wasn't lying when I said that you were the best I'd ever had…and I've had a lot," he whispered, taking a step forward.

Hermione backed up, chest heaving, her eyes never leaving his.

"That day that you walked in on Brown and I? I was bored out of my damn mind. Daphne…Daphne freaking Greengrass couldn't even get me going. And have you _seen_ Daphne Greengrass," he questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Y-yes. She's very attractive," Hermione shakily agreed.

"That she is. I would know. Do you want to know what happened tonight, Hermione?"

She didn't respond, instead backing towards the kitchen. He continued to stalk her, paying no mind as his bare feet stepped onto the shards of glass.

"Pansy was here. Did you see her on your way out, by the way," he offhandedly questioned, gesturing towards the door.

Hermione hurriedly nodded.

"Yeah, yeah I saw her."

"Yeah…yeah she was here. Things were happening, everything was going great, and I'm thinking _'finally'_. You want to know what happened next? You want to guess? Go on, guess."

Hermione shook her head.

"No? Well, I'll tell you. I said your name. _Your_ name. Now, Pansy wasn't bothered by that because, let's face it, she's always ready to spread her legs for me under any conditions. Me? No, I was too angry at this point. So I lost it."

"Draco…"

"I don't like losing it, Hermione. I don't like tossing and turning almost every other night. I don't enjoy turning girls away because they just aren't doing it for me. So you and I are going to remedy this here…and _now_."

Hermione didn't even have time to react before he pounced. She shrieked in surprise as her back hit the wall, her chest pressed against his. She panted as Draco ran his hands up her sides, his nose grazing her neck.

"Just say it, Hermione. Admit that you want me just as much as I want you," he purred, his lips pressed against her skin.

Hermione couldn't stop herself from moaning as he pressed his pelvis into hers.

"Just say it," he whispered.

"Of course, I want you, but-"

"That's all I need to hear," he growled just before claiming her lips with his own.

Her reaction was instantaneous, bringing her hands up to wrap her fingers in his hair, pulling his face closer. He hooked his hands under her thighs, wrapping her legs around his waist as they slid to the floor. He ground his hips into hers, sucking and biting on the skin of her neck. Hermione arched her back, mouth open and eyes squeezed shut as he bit her breasts through her shirt. Her buttons flew as he ripped her shirt open, his lips immediately attaching to her stomach.

She mewled, his tongue swirling into her belly button, causing her to squirm beneath him. Her hands stayed knotted in his hair, her eyes closed, enjoying the sensations he was giving her, making her forget all about her day. The sound of her skirt ripping was what brought her out of her haze. Her eyes flew open and she gasped as he bit the inside of her thigh.

"Wait…wait…Draco, what are you doing?"

"I'm _trying_ to bang you six ways to Sunday," he purred.

"N-no. No, no, no," she hurriedly said, pushing him away and immediately backing up.

"What the hell, Hermione?"

"We can't…we can't do this," she said, standing up and covering her chest.

He stood too, eyes blazing as he glared at her.

"The hell we can't," he hissed, reaching for her.

She jerked away.

"No, we can't. _This_ was not supposed to happen. It was a onetime thing, remember?"

"Well, let's make it a two time thing," he said, stepping towards her.

"No! Everyone just needs to…stop kissing me," she cried, turning around and running into her room.

She slammed the door behind her, locking it and sliding down the wood, banging her head against it.

"Oh, I'm in trouble," she whispered.

* * *

 **3...**


	9. Chapter 9

**Woop woop! Ok so here we go:**

 **1\. Yes, there was two TVD references in the last chapter. Can you tell I love that show? Well, the first four seasons anyway.**

 **2\. I don't condone slut shaming in any way, shape, or form. I'm simply saying this because I feel like this chapter focuses on that a bit and I just want to put it out there that these are not my sentiments.**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

"…entertainment…check. Okay, so it appears that we have everything in order for this weekend then. Are there anymore suggestions? Anything else that needs to be clarified? No?"

Hermione looked around the circle of Prefects and gave a satisfied smile as they all shook their heads. She set her notepad down in her lap.

"Okay, then. Well, you're all dismissed and _please_ , do try to remember that Headmistress McGonagall is the one who _heavily suggested_ this. That means that it needs to go off without a hitch," she said, sighing when they all gave halfhearted, disgruntled affirmations, hightailing it out of the door.

She shut her notebook, placing it and her quill back inside of her schoolbag before looking at the chair beside her where Draco usually sat at these meetings. She closed her eyes, heaving another deep sigh as she thought about the previous week. After Draco had aggressively confessed of his… _struggle_ with their little agreement, she had avoided him like the plague. That was easy to do in the corridors and during meals. Avoiding him during class and in their dorm, however, was a completely different story.

He'd made it his mission to always sit one row behind wherever she sat during their classes, his heated gaze focused on nothing but her, often distracting her from her notetaking. In their dorm, whenever she had no choice but to leave the comfort of her room, there he would be, walking around nearly as naked as the day he was born as if he had a built in radar that told him when she was getting ready to come out. The worst part was that he never said anything suggestive or with double meanings, he never had to, her mind always took care of the rest. Of course, there was that one time. Hermione could still recall the incident from a few days ago…

...

 _Hermione walked down the stairs, deciding to take a break from her studying and get something to eat. Even though Draco was out she still had not wanted to take any chances. Besides, she needed to take a break and stretch her legs anyway. She shook her head at her cowardice as she walked into the kitchen. She was Hermione freaking Granger and look what she had been reduced to because what? That thing in Draco's pants had decided that she was the only girl it was going to work for? She shook her head again._ I don't think so _, she thought._

 _Besides, that sounded like a personal problem anyway. Hermione seriously doubted that she was even **that** good in bed. She'd been a virgin with zero experience, for crying out loud! She suddenly stopped chewing. Maybe that was it. Maybe Draco had never been with a virgin before and was so used to girls with porn star like talents. She frowned, highly doubting that sudden theory of hers. Draco struck her as the type who liked porn star like talent. She turned around, ready to put her plate in the sink when she heard **his** room door open._

 _Her eyes widened as the plate clattered into the sink, making the loudest noise she was sure she'd ever heard in her life. She had thought that he was out! As a matter of fact, she was **positive** that he was out! She'd heard him leave and had yet to hear him return. Or had she mistaken the sound of his return as the sound of his departure? She kept her eyes downcast as he came into the kitchen, the sound of his footsteps heavy in her ears._

 _This had to have been the most awkward silence that she'd ever encountered. Neither one of them spoke as they both went about their business. He knew that she knew he was there and she knew that he knew that she knew that. She finally decided to just concede defeat and high tail it out of the kitchen, putting her out of her misery. She spun around, prepared to all but run back to her room when she bumped into him._

 _Her eyes widened as she stumbled back, feet tripping over one another when he reached out to steady her. She swallowed as his hand practically burned a hole into her shirt, pressing into her waist. Her chest grazed his as he slowly removed his hand._

 _"My fault," she quietly said._

 _She swallowed and held her breath as he suddenly reached past her, the length of his arm brushing against her shoulder as he grabbed something on the counter behind her. She leaned back, her back pressing into the counter, his hips hotly pressed against hers. Per usual, he wasn't wearing a shirt and Hermione was convinced that he'd burned them all just for her torment. She glanced up to find him gazing down at her from beneath his lashes as he brought his hand back, but not before dropping it and brushing it against her hip and over her thigh._

 _She reached down to slap his hand away when he surprised her and snatched up her hand instead. She sharply inhaled as he slammed it down onto the counter, his intense gaze trained on her. She was just about to open her mouth and curse him out when he brought his other hand up to gently brush his thumb against her bottom lip. Her words were caught in her throat, her chest heaving against his as he leaned in closer. He licked his lips and Hermione found her eyes following the movement of his tongue, transfixed. He parted his lips as he bent his head and Hermione felt her eyes fluttering close. She waited…and waited…and waited._

 _When nothing came she finally opened her eyes to see him gazing down at her with that stupid smirk, his head tilted in amused curiosity. Hermione's eyes widened as she realized what he had just done. She watched as he stepped back before crossing his arms over his chest. They stared at one another for a while in silence before his smirk eventually grew. He gave an amused chuckle and turned, leaving the kitchen._

 _It wasn't until his room door had closed did Hermione realize that he'd never actually taken anything from the kitchen to begin with._

 _..._

She was not afraid to openly admit that his desires frightened her, simply because dealing with his desires would force her to confront her own. That was possibly the last thing that she ever wanted to do. What had happened a few days ago only proved that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her and she didn't know how to feel about that. Besides, she had enough on her plate already.

She stood, swinging her school bag over her shoulder with a groan as she thought over the past week. Not only had she avoided Draco like the plague, but his blackmailing housemate as well. Every time she thought about the incident at breakfast all those days ago, she felt herself getting angry all over again. Blaise knew! He knew about her and Draco and that scared her so much. She honestly didn't know what to do and she knew that she was going to have to deal with this sooner or later.

Blaise had yet to confront her. As a matter of fact, it seemed that he hadn't even attempted to. Hermione was no idiot. She knew that he was simply biding his time and it wouldn't be long before he demanded something of her. Hermione didn't know what she was going to do when that day came. Blaise was…he was…he was a sleaze ball! He could demand anything of her and Hermione hoped that it wasn't going to be another public kiss or anything of the sort. Ron and Harry's harsh words had been on a constant repeat in her mind, along with the climax of the argument that had officially terminated any chance of her and Ron ever being friends again.

...

 _Hermione all but ran out of the classroom, like she did every day since the incident at breakfast. She had avoided Harry and Ron's eyes all week, refusing to even acknowledge them. After all, Ron was supposed to be still mad at her anyway for ruining his relationship with Lavender. Apparently, his anger didn't keep him from seeking her out to chew her out…again. She turned down an empty corridor, heading for the next set of stairs when she dropped her books._

 _"Crap," she hissed, bending down to grab them._

 _A set of hands suddenly came out of nowhere and picked them up instead and Hermione sighed. She reluctantly stood, avoiding Ron's stare as she took her books from Harry. She clutched them to her chest, shaking her head as she waited._

 _"Do you have nothing to say?"_

 _Ron's words came out harsh and venomous and she looked at him out of the corner of her eye as if he were a bug._

 _"I'm sorry. Aren't you supposed to be ignoring me," she spat._

 _Ron fumed, folding his hands into fists as he glared at her._

 _"Ron's right, Hermione. Have you nothing to say?"_

 _"What do you want me to say? Last time I checked, I didn't have to explain anything to the two of you," she said, her eyes landing on Harry._

 _Despite the current animosity between the three of them, Hermione **did** want to explain everything, but she couldn't. Harry huffed, crossing his arms over his chest._

 _"We're your friends, Hermione-"_

 _"Oh, you are, are you? The two of you have a really funny way of showing it," she said, interrupting him._

 _"Hermione…what are you even…," Harry trailed off._

 _"I am **fed up**. The two of you have been treating me like crap for a while now, long before any of this mess even started. Now, you act like you actually have a right to question me about anything I do when weeks ago you guys would act like I wasn't even in the same room. You completely ripped my head off the other night, Harry, and for no reason. I wasn't concerned about Ginny, you moron, I was concerned about Dean. You immediately assuming the worst about what I was trying to say was your own guilt eating you up," she spat._

 _Ron looked between the two of them with a frown as Harry sent her a threatening look._

 _"What happened the other night?"_

 _Hermione looked at him._

 _"Oh, that's right. Harry didn't want you to know. He accompanied Lavender and I to the party in the Slytherin Common Room," she said._

 _Ron rounded on Harry as Harry glared at her. Hermione shook her head as she felt herself breaking._

 _"I don't care. I officially don't care anymore. The two of you are not my friends and you haven't been my friends for some time now. I am **done** trying to please the two of you," she said, eyes watering._

 _"Did you enjoy the party, Hermione? Did you screw Zabini there? What about Malfoy? Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you did the entire Quidditch team," Ron spat, stepping towards her._

 _She took a step forward too._

 _" **Screw you** , Ronald."_

 _Ron's face contorted into something ugly._

 _"No, screw you, you **Slytherin Slut** ," he hissed in her face._

 _Hermione inhaled, resisting the urge to slap him. Instead she chuckled, wiping her cheek with the back of her fingers._

 _"Wow, Slytherin Slut, huh? Like I haven't heard **that** one all week. Real original, Ron. You want to know what your problem is? You're just throwing a hissy fit because I'm not waiting around for you," she said._

 _She took another step forward until she was about half a foot away from him._

 _"For the record, I'd rather be a Slytherin Slut than a sloppy, Gryffindor wannabe version of Draco Malfoy," she spat._

 _The words had barely escaped her mouth when she suddenly found her world spinning. She fell onto her side as she clutched her cheek, looking up at Ron in shock. He was glaring down at her, eyes wide and nose flaring as Harry held him back. She shakily stood up, grabbing her books and still holding her cheek as she glared at him. Ron had hit her! He actually hit her… Hermione couldn't believe it despite the pain in her face that said otherwise._

 _"I think you should go, Hermione," Harry said._

 _"With pleasure," she hissed, walking past them._

 _"Next time, please don't take your anger out on us just because we're actually enjoying our last year while you remain a frigid bookworm," Harry said as she passed him._

 _She stopped with a disbelieving scoff, tempted to turn around and curse him before thinking better of it. She simply shook her head and walked up the stairs._

 _..._

Hermione slowly walked down the corridor, refusing to waste anymore thoughts on Ron and Harry. She absentmindedly touched her cheek, repressing the tears that threatened to spill. Never in her wildest imagination would she have ever dreamed that the three of them would end up here. She shook the thoughts from her head, instead wondering what Lavender was doing.

Hermione had been at war with herself for about a week and a half now, trying to decide if she should tell Lavender the truth. On one hand, knowledge was power and it would give her a better idea of what Blaise was really like. It would make her cautious around him, protecting her. On the other hand, from Hermione's understanding, Lavender was only involved in this because she showed up at the right place at the right time. It seemed that Blaise didn't have any vendettas against her. From what Draco had told Hermione, _she_ was the one who had threatened to tell.

Hermione decided that for now, the best thing to do would be to not say anything. It seemed like it would do more harm than good and would only serve to put Lavender back on Blaise's radar. This way only Hermione had to deal with him which was something that she could handle…for now anyway. As Hermione walked down the corridor, walking towards their shared dorm, she heard a loud high pitched giggle. She frowned in confusion as she approached the portrait and stopped in her tracks.

She watched as Daphne Greengrass ran her perfectly manicured hand up Draco's arm as the Head Boy pinned her to the wall, his face pressed against the crook of her neck. The blonde witch had a teasing smile on her face as Draco apparently whispered something that she liked. Hermione clenched her hand around the strap of her bag, taking a step back as she blinked. She swallowed, finding that her throat was surprisingly dry as she forced herself to glance away. She took a deep breath before returning her eyes to the scene only to find Draco's head tilted in her direction, his piercing gaze trained directly on her while Greengrass was none the wiser. He whispered something in the Slytherin girl's ear before saying the password, the two of them walking inside. Hermione sighed as the portrait shut.

She shook her head. It was blatantly clear what Draco was playing at and Hermione was not going to fall for it. He was trying to get a rise out of her, make her jealous. Well, it wasn't happening. _Then why do you want to barge in there and do everything you can to ruin his night?_ Hermione blinked, realizing that that was _exactly_ what she wanted to do. The thought of Greengrass underneath Draco, where _she_ had been, made her feel some type of way.

 _Of course, who is to say that Draco will be able to even get it up_ , she thought with a satisfied smirk. She immediately shook that thought from her head. _No._ She was not supposed to take satisfaction in the fact that she was currently the only girl in this school who could get him going.

She winced, looking down and realizing that she had been digging her nails into the palm of her hand. She stretched out her fingers with a sigh. She didn't care what or _who_ Draco did in his spare time. At least…she shouldn't. She didn't mind a week ago so why did she mind now? She heaved another sigh and shook her head again. Draco could screw this entire school for all she cared.

"Ouch. That was brutal…"

She spun around, sharply inhaling at the sight of Blaise Zabini leaning against the wall. His button down shirt was open at the top, his Slytherin tie hanging loosely around his neck. His arms were crossed over his chest as one foot was placed on the wall, knee bent. His brown skin glowed in the light, obsidian eyes trained on her.

He suddenly pushed away from the wall, the perfect vision of pureblood aristocracy as he strode towards her in all of his glory. She took a few steps back, her eyes never leaving him.

"Trouble in paradise?"

She glared at the snooty smirk on his face as he looked down at her. The infamous Great Hall kiss came to the forefront of her mind and she felt her face heat up with poorly concealed anger. Before she even knew what she was doing, she had given him a right hook, right in his smug, pretty face.

She took great pride in the fact that his head had whipped to the side, a few drops of spit flying out of his mouth. She took another step back as he reached up to touch his face, adjusting his jaw before slowly straightening up. Hermione was so mad that she could hardly see straight.

"There never was a paradise, you filthy swine," she spat.

He chuckled, moving his jaw around again before resting his eyes on her.

"Your memories beg to differ," he said, tapping his head with his index finger.

She crossed her arms over her chest, revisiting the urge to punch him again.

"What do you want," she asked in exasperation.

She had known that this was coming. She had known that it would only be a matter of time before he finally came to take full advantage of this situation. He slid one hand into his pocket, tilting his head.

"Well, I've been hearing all about this Halloween Ball you Heads are putting together for this Friday," he began.

Hermione's heart dropped straight to her stomach.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

"Why would I kid? I want to go and I want you to accompany me. What's so funny about that," he questioned with a shrug.

Hermione gave a humorless laugh.

"Let me guess…if I don't go, you'll tell everyone. Right?"

"You're not the top student in this school for nothing," he said, sending her a dazzling smile.

"What makes you so sure that people will even believe you? Huh," she demanded.

His smile dropped, a menacing expression falling over his face.

"Don't toy with me, Hermione. One, you and I both know that people will believe it simply for the fact that they want it to be true. They _want_ to see little miss perfect Hermione Granger fall from grace. What better way for that to happen than you allowing the 'enemy' to take your innocence? They'll be eating it up. Even if they didn't, it makes for a lovely little rumor, a nice source of entertainment for the rest of the year," he said.

He stepped closer, lips pulling into a smirk at the defeated look on her face as everything he said rang true.

"Besides, do you really think that Draco is going to deny it?"

Her heart skipped a beat as he raised an eyebrow, daring her to disagree. Hermione's shoulders slumped. No, if it ever got out, Draco wouldn't even utter a word of denial. He continued, taking her silence as agreement.

"So…I guess I'll be seeing you Friday then," he purred in triumph, turning around and walking down the corridor.

Hermione looked up towards the ceiling, exhaling in frustration.

* * *

Friday arrived much faster than Hermione would have liked. The rest of the week had flown by, consisting of looks, whispers, and the cold shoulder from her dorm mate. It seemed that Draco was sticking to that tactic of trying to make her jealous by simply opting to ignore her and instead focus all of his attention on Greengrass who was just licking it up. She would be all over him during meals, sometimes hanging on his arm as they walked along the corridors. Hermione couldn't care less. Really, she couldn't.

It wasn't long before she found herself staring into her bathroom mirror, adjusting the flowers in her hair. She heaved a sigh, dropping her arms as she stared at her reflection. She had chosen to go as Titania, the fairy queen from A Midsummer Night's Dream. The glamor charm she had used made her wings sparkle in the light and her sheer, tulle dress stopped just above her knee. She fingered the numerous leaves and flowers attached to the dress with a small smile.

Ginny would have gone crazy getting Hermione ready in this. She imagined that Ginny would have made the costume much more elaborate. Go big or go home, was what she'd always say. Hermione shook her head, walking out of the bathroom and out of her room. She stepped into the empty common room, throwing a glance at Draco's door. She'd heard him leave a few minutes ago, Greengrass' voice trailing after him.

She tucked her wand into the bosom of her dress, mentally preparing herself for this night. It was going to be a long one and she was not ready. She could just imagine the stares and whispers now as she walked into the Great Hall with Blaise Zabini on her arm. She released a long, drawn out sigh before stepping out of the entrance, the portrait closing behind her as her eyes rested on Blaise standing on the opposite side of the corridor.

She took in his suit, black cape billowing behind him as one eye gleamed at her from behind the mask. The phantom mask covered half of his face, giving him an even more threatening aura as he tilted his head to the side, taking her in. she stepped towards him as he did the same, the two of them sizing each other up.

"Well, your costume certainly suits your two faced personality," she sweetly said.

"You _are_ a proud so-and-so, so I guess your costume does fit even though the innocence of your appearance no longer does," he spat, lips curving into a smirk.

Hermione briefly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before she did something she would regret. The two of them walked towards the Great Hall in silence. The silence wasn't awkward, just filled with tension. Blaise seemed to be buzzing with excitement while she wanted to fight him and puke all at the same time. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, studying him before deciding that she couldn't take him. Besides, would it really be worth it?

She mentally shook her head. No, it would most definitely not be worth it. As they walked down the stairs, Hermione could hear the music, the doors were open and she swallowed, so very tempted to take off. She stopped when Blaise did, looking at him as he held his elbow out to her. With a purse of her lips, she reluctantly looped her arm through his, clasping her hands together.

As soon as they stepped through the door, eyes everywhere immediately sought them out. She felt her face heat up, as the two of them walked towards a table on the other side of the room. The thick fog that covered the floor bit at her feet, forcing a shiver down her spine. The two of them sat down, the floating chairs sinking with their weight. The table still hovered over the floor by a few inches and Hermione looked around to see that all of the tables and chairs were like that. Bats and ravens flew around the room, their screeching and cawing could be heard every now and then. Her eyes focused on the blood dripping down the walls, spider webs hanging from just about every crevice and corner. The lights were low, eerie shadows casted around the room as the live band sang a slow, much more eerie version of I Put a Spell on You.

Hermione spotted a long mane of red hair and got up, walking over towards her. They hadn't spoken in quite some time, but Hermione didn't care. She was far too relieved to see Ginny actually out of her room for once. The younger girl gave a sheepish smile as Hermione took in her costume. She pulled at the white dress before flicking her veil behind her shoulder.

"Cliché, huh?"

"Not at all. You look great," Hermione said.

Ginny nodded in thanks.

"You too. You and Zabini make quite the stunning pair. I'm…surprised to see that you came with him," Ginny said with a frown.

Hermione was confused by the concern on Ginny's face. Did she know or at least have an idea about what had happened? Draco never said anything about her telling Ginny.

"Yeah, well. Is there a groom…or…?"

Ginny suddenly blushed, looking down.

"Dean asked me," she quietly responded.

Hermione found herself smiling.

"Really? That's wonderful!"

"I figured...why not, you know," she said with a shrug, glancing over to Hermione's right.

Hermione followed her gaze, eyes landing on Harry and Ron on the other side of the room with their dates, their eyes trained on the two of them. Hermione looked back at Ginny, deciding to cut the awkward chit chat.

"Look, I know that it probably isn't my place, but…Dean really likes you. I mean… _really_ likes you. He cares about you and I believe that if you let him…he can make you really happy," Hermione said.

Ginny stared at her for a while before nodding.

"You're right. It wasn't your place, but thank you. I…I'm really sorry about our last conversation. It's just…it's _Lavender_ , you know? I can still remember you crying about her and Ron sixth year, just bawling your eyes out. I don't like her. I probably never will, but I should be happy that the two of you patched things up. I should be happy that you have someone to talk to while…," she trailed off with a sigh.

Hermione felt her blood boiling, angry with Harry all over again for what he had turned Ginny into. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.

"Excuse my language, Ginny, but I just want to say that Harry…isn't worth shit."

Ginny's eyes widened at Hermione's rare use of foul language.

"He's changed…him and your brother. Even if things start to look better, they will never be the same. Lines have been crossed and I don't think we'll ever be able to pretend like nothing has happened," she said.

Ginny frowned.

"Did something happen?"

"You could say that. Please, try to enjoy the rest of your night, Ginny."

Hermione walked back to her table ignoring Blaise's curious gaze.

"Are the two of you besties again?"

Hermione didn't appreciate his mocking tone and was just about to let him know that when she was interrupted.

"Hermione!"

Hermione looked up as Lavender made her way over to them, a sly smile on her lips. Lavender's eyes flickered between her and Blaise, the latter sending the other girl a charming smile with a wave of his fingers. Hermione glared at him out of the corner of her eye, frowning even more when he turned his gaze to her and winked.

"You're an ethereal vision," Lavender complemented.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Hermione replied in appreciation of Lavender's costume.

She looked the perfect picture of a princess with her tiara and strapless ball gown dress. Her blonde ringlets were piled high on top of her head, the bright pink fabric of her huge dress almost glowing in the dark lighting. Lavender grabbed her arm and turned to face Blaise.

"Mind if I borrow her for a bit?"

"As long as you return her," he answered with a dazzling smile.

Lavender waved him off, dragging Hermione towards the refreshments table. A spotlight was cast over the table in the dark corner, making it easy for people to see what they were eating.

"So I guess its true then. I missed the infamous kiss, but you guys really are a thing," Lavender said.

"Please…don't."

Hermione was positive that she was going to be ill and Lavender frowned in confusion.

"Are you not?"

"It's complicated," was Hermione's response.

Lavender nodded in understanding, taking the hint to leave it alone.

"Well, I suppose that's a good thing then," she began.

"Why do you say that," Hermione asked.

"A certain dark angel has had his eyes trained on you since you first stepped into the room," Lavender said, nodding behind Hermione.

Hermione turned around and found herself inhaling at the sight of him. Draco stood on the other side of the hall with a group of Slytherins, nodding every now and then to something being said while his eyes never left her. The bottom half of him was covered in black, a striking contrast to the fair expanse of his bare chest. Hermione swallowed, raking her eyes over his toned torso and arms. Memories rushed to the forefront of her mind as she was reminded of that night, gazing up at him as he used his arms to hover over her, keeping his full weight off of her. She remembered running her hands up his chest and down said arms, raking her nails over his skin, eliciting shudders from his frame.

Her eyes finally rested on the large black angel wings that protruded from his back, casting a large and frightening shadow over the wall behind him. Hermione paid no mind to the blonde girl attached to his arm nor to the dark haired, blue eyed archer beside him whose eyes were flicking back and forth between her and Draco. She watched as Draco began to lift his arm off of Greengrass, preparing to take a step forward when the spell was broken.

"I'm stealing her back now," a voice purred.

She blinked, coming back to her senses and sheepishly waving at Lavender as Blaise all but dragged her to the dance floor. He roughly pulled her into him, his arms coming down to snake around her waist while the other held her hand in a tight grip. She clenched her jaw as he leaned down, his lips grazing the shell of her ear.

"Could you be any more obvious?"

His question came out as a whisper, amusement laced in every word.

"It's a wonder that no one else has caught on. It's… _sickeningly sweet_ how gaga you two are for each other," he hissed.

She turned her head away with an amused scoff.

"Are you _jealous_ , Blaise?"

He chuckled.

"No. Not likely and I will tell you why. When I decide that I want you…I'll have you," he stated with conviction.

She leaned in closer, tilting her head up so that her lips were right next to his ear.

"What makes you so sure? What if I suddenly decide that I just don't care anymore? Better yet, what if I out myself, then what will you have," she hissed.

He took a deep breath, pulling away before pulling her back in, spinning her around so that her back was to his chest with his arms around her.

"You're a horrible liar. You can't bluff for _shit_ …don't ever gamble because you'd lose all of your galleons."

Hermione huffed, turning her head away.

"You and I both know that there will never be a day when you're all fine and dandy with this entire school knowing the truth. You care way too much about what people think. You've spent your whole life trying to be accepted, you're not just going to throw it away-"

"You don't know anything about me," she spat.

" _Au contraire_. I do know you and you want to know what else? Everybody in this bloody school knows you, Hermione. You're an open book, you wear your heart on your sleeve and that makes you so easy to read," he whispered, lips brushing against her ear.

She pushed away from him, the truth of his words getting to her. She looked over her shoulder at him with a venomous glare before storming out of the Great Hall. She didn't hear his footsteps behind her as she walked down the corridor and for that she was grateful. She _was_ an open book. It had always been so hard for her to hide how she felt about anything.

That was how the entire school had known about her feelings about Ron. That was how Draco had been able to rip her a new one, spouting nothing but the truth about her life the night before _that_ day. It was how Ron had always been able to worm his way back into her good graces, knowing exactly what to say and how to act to appease her. It was the reason she was in this mess now. Blaise knew that she would probably rather die than have everyone know that she'd had sex with Draco Malfoy, officially eradicating her virgin status.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you are doing? You're my date and you owe me a few more dances."

"Leave me alone," she shrieked.

She turned around to face him, face twisted into a frown as he walked towards her.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you doing this to me? Isn't obvious by now that I'm not going to tell anyone about what you did," she breathed.

Blaise tilted his head, hands shoved into his pockets. He gazed at her as if she were an anomaly.

"I enjoy watching you squirm, Hermione. Besides, I want to see how far I can push you, the both of you," he said.

He chuckled, spreading his arms out.

"I want to see how long it will take before either one of you breaks. I'm hoping for him before you, though. Maybe then McGonagall will strip him of the Head Boy title that he doesn't deserve," he sneered.

Hermione blinked, gazing at him in shocked disbelief.

"Is _that_ what all of this is about? Are you freaking kidding me? You're acting like a jilted lover because you didn't get _Head Boy_ ," she spat.

"I earned the right to be Head Boy. My marks were just as good as his," he hissed.

"Clearly they weren't."

"McGonagall chose him over me because he's Draco Malfoy. She's been pushing for house unity and nothing promotes that like Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy becoming besties! You honestly think it would have as much of an effect if it were you and I?"

Hermione took a step back, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter. He earned the right to be Head Boy too. None of this gives you the right to-"

"Do whatever the hell I want? Yeah, actually, it kind of does."

"You…you…you have no morals. No conscience," she spat out.

"Just imagine if _I_ were Head Boy. Your first time could have been an entirely different experience. I can still replace that memory with a better one anytime you like," he proposed.

"You think I'd let you lay a finger on me after what you did? Trying to force yourself on some fifth year? Practically a child compared to us!"

Blaise stopped walking, a curious expression on his face before a slow smile fell over his lips.

"Is _that_ what Draco told you? This keeps getting better and better," he laughed.

"What are you on about?"

He walked towards her, shaking his head.

"He doesn't even realize how far gone he is…"

"Tell me what you're talking about!"

He smirked, eyes raking over her form.

"Sweetheart, I didn't try to force myself on some _fifth year_ …Hermione," he purred, reaching out to touch her cheek.

She blinked, frowning in confusion before her eyes widened in realization. She smacked his hand away, stumbling back as she registered his words.

"No…"

He nodded, following her, a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Yes."

She frantically shook her head.

"No. That's not-"

"Possible? Why, because you're so smart, right? I'm Hermione Granger and I can easily tell when a situation is going south, so nothing like that will ever happen to me," he mocked, laughing at the look of terror on her face.

Hermione felt her heart speeding up and she backed up, dragging her hand along the wall, gasping for breath.

"You can be so arrogant sometimes, you know that. The best part of it all is that Draco warned you too. Oh, like the good little lover that he is, he warned you. All I had to do was feed you some half assed little lie and you dismissed his words so easily," he whispered.

She glanced over her shoulder.

"You were so desperate for some attention, so desperate to have something to do with your time besides waiting around for your friends to notice you again. You were practically _begging_ for me," he said.

She snatched her wand out of her dress, a curse already on her lips when he smacked her hand upwards, the curse hitting the ceiling instead. She shrieked as he slammed her back into the wall, her wand clattering to the floor. She struggled against him as he brought one hand up to clasp around her throat.

"I couldn't wait to see the look of absolute horror on your face once you realized that Draco had been right. Let me tell you, it was worth it too. Almost as good as the one you have now," he laughed.

He brought her forward, slamming her into the wall again, making her wince.

"If it wasn't for that _Gryffindor slut_ , you would have had two notches on your bed post. Where is she, anyway? Where is Draco? Where is your knight in shining armor, now? Huh," he demanded.

She spit in his face, watching in satisfaction as his face twisted into a look of disgust. She should have expected it. He brought his hand down across her face like lightning, making her see stars for a minute. He dropped her like a sack of potatoes and Hermione winced in pain.

"Oh, I bet you he's around here, looking for you. I know he saw us leave."

He chuckled.

"He's got it bad. Come on, Draco! We're over here," he yelled down the corridor.

Hermione shakily pushed herself onto her knees, vision swimming and reaching for her wand when Blaise's foot harshly came down, snapping the piece of wood and snapping her heart. She looked at her broken wand in horror, clawing and hitting him in anger as he yanked her up by her hair.

"Ssh," he harshly said.

"I'll kill you," she hissed, digging her nails into his arm.

He harshly shook her.

"Listen," he said almost gleefully.

Hermione did listen and she could hear the sound of footsteps, footsteps running in their direction. She shoved her hand in his face as soon as he turned her around and she let out a loud hiss as he slammed her into the wall again, his dark gaze trained on her.

"This is between you and me, Blaise!"

Hermione couldn't turn her head, but was more than relieved to hear Draco's voice at the end of the corridor. Blaise smiled before turning his head towards Draco.

"Not anymore, it's not. She threatened me, remember? It's about time that the Gryffindor Golden Girl learns that her big mouth will get her in a lot of trouble," he said, just before throwing her onto the ground.

Hermione smacked against the ground like a ragdoll and was just barely able to get out of the way as Draco threw the first punch. Hermione had never seen a fight like this. Even during the war, the fighting was brutal, but it had been done with wands. Draco and Blaise were using their fists, pounding into each other so hard Hermione was sure that one of them was going to break. Draco shoved Blaise against the wall, the latter giving him a bloody smile while Draco glared at him, nostrils flaring.

"Go on. Hit me, Draco," Blaise taunted.

Hermione shakily stood.

"Draco, don't…"

"Don't listen to her. _Come on_ , send me to the infirmary."

"Draco-"

"I hit her, you know. Yeah, smacked her right across the face and boy did she go down," he sniggered.

Hermione reached up to cover the bruise that was already forming as Draco glanced at her.

"This is what he wants. Don't listen to him. Let him go and walk away… We need to get out of here," she said, looking around.

They weren't far from the Great Hall and it would only be a matter of time before someone stumbled upon them. Blaise leaned forward, as far as he possibly could, a nasty smirk gracing his lips.

"Just think…if Brown hadn't have showed up…or if she had come _just_ a little later, I could have had her too," he whispered.

" ** _Draco!_** "

Said boy had brought his fist back and let it snap right into Blaise's face, forcing the other boy's head to smack into the wall before sliding down the wall in a heap as Draco let him go. Hermione covered her mouth in shock, refusing to take her eyes off of Blaise's limp form. Hermione barely registered Draco shoving her broken wand in her hand before dragging her down the corridor. She fought to keep up with his speedy pace as he high tailed it back to their dorm.

"Is he…?"

"I don't know and I don't care."

Hermione winced at his harsh words, instead focusing her attention on him. He also had a nasty bruise forming on his cheek as well as his back from what she could see. He probably had some scrapes on his chest too. She looked down at his hands and saw that his knuckles were bleeding.

"Draco…you're bleeding," she said.

"I know," was his harsh reply.

"Let me-"

"Drop it, Hermione," he bit out.

She took a deep breath.

"I know that my wand is broken, but I could use-"

"I said drop it. I can't think straight with you yapping in my ear," he snapped.

She swallowed.

"Look, I just-"

"I said _shut up_!"

Hermione found her back pressed against the wall and his lips covering hers as he shut her up with a kiss. Hermione's eyes were wide with shock while she gripped his arm. He was careful not to let his hand venture onto her bruised cheek, instead resting it on the side of her neck as he tilted his head. He appeared to be attempting to suck her soul from within her body as he pressed against her, one hand gripping her back.

Before Hermione had time to process he had pulled away, glaring at her and chest heaving. He said nothing, simply gazing at her before turning around and continuing the walk back to their dorm.

* * *

 **2...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi. Hello. It's me. Here's an update...**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

The portrait shut behind Hermione with a soft click and she leaned her back against it, hands trembling as she pressed them to the wood. She took a deep breath, jumping as Draco kicked over the side table. Her eyes followed him as he huffed, running his hands through his hair. Hermione slowly walked over to him, setting her broken wand down on the arm of the couch. She forced her mind not to linger on that dilemma for now.

"Draco, I need your wand. I need to…," she trailed off, gesturing to his chest.

He didn't reply, instead turning around and suddenly reaching out, tilting her face up towards him and turning her head to the side. She winced when his finger brushed against her skin. Blaise had gotten her good…

"Do they send you boys to a special class for that when you're young or something? Just teaching you how to properly smack a woman," she said.

Draco frowned down at her and she glanced away at his cold stare.

"Are you seriously joking, right now?"

"Sorry. It's a stupid coping mechanism," she quietly replied.

He pointed his wand at her face, Hermione letting out an appreciative sigh as the pain lessened to almost nothing. She swallowed as he backed away, a troubled expression on his face. He swallowed, clenching his jaw before suddenly raking his hands down his face.

"Shit."

He suddenly shoved the couch and it rolled over with a groan before landing with a thud, pushing the other table out of the way. Draco paced, twisting his hands into his hair, fingers tugging and pulling.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he quietly chanted.

He flicked his wand and the bookcase went flying across the room, causing Hermione to shriek in surprise when it landed with a loud crash.

" ** _Fuck!_** "

He ran his hand down his face again and let out a humorless chuckle.

"I think I killed him…I kind of hope I did," he said.

"Don't say that. Draco, this is serious. What are we going to do? You could get into _a lot_ of trouble," she replied.

 _He could lose his head boy position_ , she thought. He turned his head towards her, eyebrow raised.

"We…?"

Hermione blinked.

"Well, yes. We-"

" _I_ am the one who did this. Not you," he said.

She took a step towards him, shaking her head.

"No. I am just as much fault here as you. You…you _warned_ me. Did you not? Blaise told me everything. He went on and on about how arrogant I had been. I didn't even really take your words into consideration, but his lies I believed so easily. Whatever happens…we're in this together," she said.

"Hermione, just…shut the fuck up, okay? You sound like some crappy romance novel or something. I'm the one who fucked up by going too far. He was goading me, I knew it and I finished him anyway. You've worked your prissy little butt off for this your entire life so…," he trailed off with a shrug.

"And you haven't? Your marks have always been right behind mine, Draco. You earned this just as much as I did."

Draco heaved a tired sigh, choosing to simply ignore her. She crossed her arms over her chest and took another step towards him.

"Why did you lie to me," she suddenly asked.

He sharply turned his head towards her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What?"

"You told me that I had caught Blaise trying to force himself on some fifth year. He was trying to rape _me_. Why did you lie?"

Draco turned his head away, jaw clenching before walking up the stairs. Hermione followed, determined not to let this go.

"Draco," she called.

He ignored her, walking towards his room.

"Was it to protect me or something? Was that it?"

He paused at his door before turning around to face her. He seemed to consider something before shaking his head, raking his eyes over her hair, makeup, and costume. The corner of his lips quirked up for a split second.

"You look great, by the way. Goodnight, Hermione."

And then Hermione was met with sight of his door closing in her face.

* * *

"Ms. Granger, I am so glad that you decided to join us. I was just about to send for you."

Hermione frowned in confusion as she stepped into Headmistress McGonagall's office. She had gotten up bright and early to go down there. All night, she had tossed and turned, conflicted about what she should do. She had felt…largely responsible for everything that had happened and she didn't think it fair that Draco be the one to get in trouble when all he had ever done was try to protect her.

 _She_ was the one who had brushed his warnings off so easily. _She_ was the one who had kept Blaise's true nature from McGonagall, possibly putting many other girls at risk. _She_ was the one who had decided to handle this entire situation on her own, causing it to get way out of hand. She didn't act in the best way, she had made some very poor judgements and no one but her should have to pay for it. That was when she had decided that she would do the responsible thing and come clean to McGonagall about everything.

So imagine Hermione's surprise when she stepped into the office and saw that McGonagall was already expecting her. Not only that, but none other than Theodore Nott was sitting in front of McGonagall's desk. She stepped further into the office before sitting down in the chair next to Nott, glancing at him in question, but he avoided her eyes.

"What is this about," Hermione asked as she turned to face McGonagall.

"Young Nott here has confessed to what took place last night."

Hermione was sure that she had never turned her head so fast in her life. She stared at Nott with wide eyes, trying to wrap her head around what was happening.

"He's told me everything. Mr. Zabini is recovering in the infirmary, but rest assured that once he is better, he will be escorted out of Hogwarts immediately. He is expelled," McGonagall said.

Hermione turned to look at her, making sure that she had heard her correctly. Blaise was expelled? He was leaving? Hermione wanted to relax, wanted to let some of the weight off of her shoulders, but she knew that McGonagall was hardly finished.

"While I may not agree with how he handled it, if Nott had not been there…who knows what would have happened. You were protecting Ms. Granger the best way you knew how, but I still have a student –former student- in the infirmary, so a punishment must be dealt. Mr. Zabini has a rather severe head injury among other things. This can be looked at as a case of defense, but you very well could have killed him. You will be suspended for one week."

Nott nodded in acceptance and she saw him visibly relax. She suspected that he had expected much worse.

"As for you Ms. Granger…," McGonagall began.

Hermione swallowed before turning to face her again.

"I think I understand your reasoning for keeping quiet about all of this."

"I just didn't want this to reflect badly on the school. Hogwarts has been dragged through the mud too many times and you haven't exactly been Headmistress for long. I didn't…," Hermione trailed off, shaking her head as she recalled what had happened during their fifth year.

Umbridge's reign of terror was still quite fresh in her mind and she shuddered to think about the Ministry interfering with Hogwarts again.

"I understand that Ms. Granger, but that is not your place. You put other female students at risk…possibly male students as well considering what great lengths Mr. Zabini was determined to go to save his own skin. It was…poor judgement on your part. It seems to me that you made one bad decision after another, something that is the complete opposite of everything the Head position stands for…"

There was nothing but truth in McGonagall's words.

"You are relieved of your Head Girl Duties."

Hermione closed her eyes.

"…For one month."

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she looked up at her Headmistress in confusion.

"You will patrol tonight with Mr. Malfoy and then after that you will stay in the Gryffindor girl dormitories. We will have a replacement take over, more than likely the second choice for Head Girl, while you carry out your punishment. You will also serve detention every night next week and once your month is up, you may resume your position as Head Girl. That is all."

Hermione didn't even notice as Nott stood up, dragging her along with him as he exited the office. Hermione honestly didn't know what to think. She had been prepared to take full responsibility for everything, risking her position as Head Girl forever. While she was still sad about her punishment, she couldn't help but to be grateful considering the fact that she had expected much worse.

She turned to Nott as soon as they stepped into the corridor and wrapped her arms around him. He stood stock still, seemingly taken back by her sudden display of affection.

"Thank you," she breathed as she pulled away.

Nott cleared his throat with a shrug.

"No big deal…"

"But it is. You completely took the fall for Draco. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if he had lost his position as Head Boy because of me. You must really care about him," she said.

"He's my friend. Besides, he worked his ass off for it. I wasn't going to let that rat bastard Zabini get what he wanted. Anyway, I'm sorry about you…you know."

Hermione shook her head.

"Don't be. Honestly, it's nothing more than what I deserve. I'll be okay."

Nott shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet.

"Are you sure about that? I mean, everybody in this bloody school knows how much that Head Girl position means to you," he said.

Hermione cracked a small smile.

"Yeah…well, it's only for a month. I'll survive."

Nott nodded.

"Good. I guess I'll see you in a week then, Granger."

She watched as he walked past her towards the dungeons, probably to get his stuff. She sighed, cracking another small smile as she thought about this turn of events. Her walk back to the dorm was a quiet one, her mind too focused on the fact that Nott had saved Draco's ass.

As soon as she walked into the dorm, she was met with the sight of her dorm mate walking towards the door. He stopped as soon as she stepped in and Hermione bit her lip, tempted to throw her arms around him as well.

"It's handled," she told him.

Draco frowned in confusion, taking a step towards her.

"What's…handled?"

Hermione let out a small chuckle.

"Nott took the fall for you. He told McGonagall that he was responsible for Blaise's injuries last night. He's suspended for a week, though. But-"

"Wait…wait a minute," Draco interrupted.

"Draco, Blaise is gone," she said, walking towards him.

"What do you mean?"

"He's expelled. It came with a bit of a price, but…it was worth it," she answered with a smile.

Draco reached for her before snatching his arms back, blinking. She could see that he was trying to process all of this, probably trying to figure out what questions to ask first, so she gave him time.

"Theo took the fall for me," he repeated.

"Yes. It was…completely unexpected. I walked in there and McGonagall was already expecting me… It was crazy," she replied.

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, jaw clenched.

"Why were _you_ going there in the first place," he demanded.

Hermione paused, a little thrown as she sensed that something was wrong.

"I was going to tell McGonagall the truth, that all of this was my fault. I was prepared to-"

"Why would you do that?"

His question came out angry as he spat the words through his teeth. Hermione opened and closed her mouth, not exactly sure how to respond.

"What?"

"Why would you do that? This was _my_ doing. What, you think I need to be protected or something?"

"Wha-No! Draco, this wasn't just about you, you know. This was about me finally taking responsibility for my part in all of this. All you did was protect me. I saw no reason for you to lose your Head Boy title just because you were protecting me!"

He crossed his arms over his chest.

"And you? What about you?"

Hermione started to answer, but instead looked away with a sigh.

"Hermione…?"

"Draco-"

"What about you," he asked again.

"It's only for a month," she answered, returning her gaze back to him.

"A month. You're…you're leaving," he stated with a frown.

"Draco, it's only for a month. I have to patrol with you tonight and then I'm off to the girls' dormitories in Gryffindor to carry out my punishment. The second choice for Head Girl will fill in and then I'll be back. I also have detention next week," she said with a sigh.

"Tonight. Tonight is your last night as Head Girl," he said, his mind clearly on something else.

She leaned forward, looking up at him from beneath her lashes.

"It's just a month."

"A month is a long time," he murmured.

"What?"

He suddenly shook his head.

"Nothing, I have to go," he said, brushing past her.

She spun around.

"Wait…I don't know why you're upset, but I didn't do this for the reasons you think. I know that you're more than capable of protecting yourself or whatever. I just don't think that you did anything wrong. It was time for me to man up, so to speak, time for me to own up to my own mistakes," she said.

He nodded, his back to her.

"Right, I need to go find Theo before he leaves," he said just before rushing out of the door.

Hermione heaved a sigh and turned towards her room, preparing to get her things together.

* * *

A knock sounded on the portrait door and Hermione dropped her shoes, frowning in confusion as she stood. Draco had long returned, so she assumed that he was having company over or something. However, when she didn't hear any footsteps she surmised that he wasn't expecting anyone. She made her way out of her room and to the entrance, picking her brain as she went. That did no good because as soon as she opened the door, she immediately began to shut it as soon as she caught sight of who it was. He stuck his arm through, preventing her from doing so.

"Please, Hermione…," he begged.

She pressed her hands to the door, briefly closing her eyes with a huff, before letting go and spinning around. She hurried to the other side of the room and turned around just as he shut the portrait behind him. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down.

"I just want to talk-"

"What could you possibly have to say to me?"

"I'm sorry," he said, throwing his arms out.

She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow.

"Is that all?"

"I shouldn't have talked to you that way. It wasn't my place, I realize that now," he said.

"Oh, well, I'm _so_ relieved that you realize that _now_ ," she spat.

"I was angry! I was so angry, Hermione," he yelled.

"Which I don't understand! What reasons could you possibly have for being angry at me," she harshly demanded.

"You kissed Zabini!"

"No, _he_ kissed _me_ , you prejudice bastard. If you had taken the time to look past your hatred of all things Slytherin for one minute, you would have seen that. You also would have seen that I wasn't exactly a willing participant," she hissed.

Harry heaved a heavy sigh, running his hands through his unruly hair.

"I'm sorry, alright? Rumors, there were so many rumors about _that_ night. People were saying that the two of you were hooking up behind Lavender's back…"

Hermione snorted.

"They were saying that he tried to force himself on you. Hell, some were saying that he _did_. Then not even two months later the two of you are kissing in front of everyone in the Great Hall. My mind was…my mind was _fried_. I didn't know what to think! How was I supposed to possibly guess the truth?"

"Harry, you never even gave me a chance," she whispered.

"That is not true. We asked you-"

"No! When the two of you confronted me in the corridor that day, you had already made up your minds. You weren't there to question me, you were there to accuse me and you know it."

Harry frowned, biting his lip.

"Well…you got so defensive," he weakly defended.

"I had every right to be defensive! Like I told you before, the two of you acted like I didn't exist for _weeks_ , practically since we first stepped foot into Hogwarts. The minute that I clearly have some crap going on with my _own_ life, here the two of you come, prepared to drag me back into your little bubble with nothing but you two," she said with a humorless laugh.

Harry's eyes widened.

"That is _not_ true, Hermione."

"Yes, it is. For whatever reason, the idea of me having a life outside of you two rubs you the wrong way…"

She swallowed, shaking her head and cursing herself for getting emotional. She couldn't help it though, they had been leaving her behind for some time now and the minute she had just started to move on from them…

"I don't get it, Harry. I really don't, because…because you guys seem to have no problem living a life that doesn't involve me," she whispered.

Harry shook his head.

"That…that's not… Is that really what you think?"

"It's not just what I think, Harry, it's what I believe because it's what I've seen."

Harry stared at her with a mix of disbelief and confusion.

"Well, I'm sorry if that's what we've made you feel," he whispered.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Hermione sadly said.

Harry took a step towards her.

"Yes, it does. Hermione, I want all of us to get past this. I want all of us to just talk this out-"

"If you think that I'm even going to look at Ronald for one second, you're wrong," she snapped.

"Look, I'm angry with him too, but-"

" _You're angry with him too_. Funny, it didn't look that way to me the last time we were all together," she hissed.

"I didn't know what to think, Hermione! I was speechless," he said.

"Clearly not too speechless enough to not get one more comment in about my frigid ways," she coldly replied.

Harry sighed.

"That was…low. I know that and I'm so sorry. I told you, I was angry at you, but I was also angry at Ron. I didn't know what to think at the time…"

"You were angry over something that didn't even happen. I didn't kiss, Blaise, hell, I didn't even want to kiss him. Besides, I don't care how you apparently felt about Ron's actions. Fact of the matter is that you stood there! You stood by _him_ ," she incredulously said as if she still couldn't believe it.

"I wasn't condoning it if that's what you're thinking! Believe me, Ron knows how angry I am with him. I haven't spoken to him since that day. I've thought of nothing since that day for the past two weeks, Hermione. I was in complete…shock. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that he…he…he hit you. Ron actually hit you," Harry whispered.

"What?"

Hermione turned around and they both looked up towards the harsh voice that came from over her shoulder. Draco stood behind the railing, glaring at Harry with every fiber of his being. Hermione hurried towards the stairs just as Draco did.

"What the _fuck_ did you just say, Potter?"

Hermione held her hands out towards Draco as he stepped down the stairs.

"This has nothing to do with the likes of you, Malfoy," Harry spat.

"Harry, please," she warned, glancing over her shoulder at him.

She turned back around when she felt her fingers graze Draco's chest…his bare chest. _Does he even own shirts anymore_ , she thought. Draco glared down at her, eyes blazing.

"Did he just say that Weasley _hit_ you," he demanded.

"Draco, please," she pleaded.

" _Draco?_ "

"Harry, not now!"

She gasped in shock when Draco wrapped his hands around her arms.

"Did I or did I not just hear him correctly, Hermione?"

Hermione flinched at the poorly concealed anger in his voice. This wasn't going to end well…

"Draco, I've handled it, okay? I-"

"Get your hands off of her!"

"Harry, don't-"

Draco had gently pushed her aside, stepping front of her as Harry approached them.

"You're telling me that that trash you call a best friend put his hands on her? And you just stood there," Draco hissed in Harry's face.

Hermione reached for his arm, but he shrugged it off.

"This isn't any of your business, Malfoy," Harry angrily said.

"Well, I'm making it my business," Draco spat, shoving Harry.

"Draco, stop it!"

Harry shoved him back.

"What's it to you? Hermione, what the hell is going on in here?"

"Guys, please…"

"Now _that_ isn't any of _your_ business, Potter," Draco snapped.

"She's my best friend, so yeah it is-"

"Some best friend you are!"

"Don't talk about things you don't understand, snake!"

"Better a snake than a shitty boyfriend _and_ best friend," Draco harshly replied.

Before Hermione knew what was happening, they were falling into the couch, the harsh sound of their fighting reaching her ears. Hermione stared in horror as they rolled on the floor, Draco eventually getting the upper hand and sinking his fist into Harry's cheek.

"Stop! This isn't funny," she pleaded.

They ignored her, too preoccupied with trying to kill one another. Hermione suddenly turned and ran upstairs, dashing into Draco's room, eyes searching. She jumped across the bed, hand outstretched as she grabbed his wand off of his nightstand. She quickly ran back into the common area and aimed his wand, satisfied when the two of them flew apart, Draco landing by the bookcase and Harry by the kitchen.

Hermione stood on the stairs, pushing her hair away from her face, not entirely sure who to go to. Draco made the decision for her as he was up on his feet first and striding towards her. She frowned at the shiner on his cheek and the blood on his lip.

"Draco-"

She cut herself off as he snatched his wand out of her hand, turning around and pointing it at Harry. Said boy was struggling to stand, gripping the counter for support.

"Get the fuck out of my dorm, Potter."

Harry glared at the blonde as he stood, his eyes shifting to Hermione.

"Hermione…?"

"Now, Potter!"

"Harry, I think you should go," Hermione said.

Harry's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Hermione, you can't be serious. I'm not leaving you here-"

"You'll do whatever the fuck she tells you to do. She said _leave_ ," Draco spat.

Harry took a step forward, glaring at Draco.

"Hermione…"

"Harry, I promise, we'll talk later. We'll finish talking, I'll…I'll hear you out. Just please, leave," she said.

She was positive that whatever was left of Draco's patience had just evaporated. Harry glanced between the two of them with a frown before turning around and storming out, the portrait slamming shut behind them. Hermione's shoulders sagged with relief as she let out a sigh.

"What the hell, Draco," she found herself asking.

Draco spun around, eyes blazing.

"I could ask you the same thing. Why would you even let him in? Why the hell didn't you say anything about-?"

"Because it wasn't exactly something I wanted to advertise, okay!"

She didn't have time to move as Draco stepped up and cupped her cheek, tilting her head back and turning her face this way and that. She blinked, forcing her heart to still as he grazed her cheek with his thumb. He suddenly let go, shaking his head and letting out a humorless chuckle.

"Why would you even consider talking to him? He just stood there while-"

"Draco, I really wouldn't expect you to understand," she quietly interrupted.

"Heh. You're right…I don't understand and I don't want to. You sure do know how to pick em," he spat, brushing past her.

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed as his room door slammed shut.

* * *

Hermione heaved a sigh as she walked along the dark corridors. She absolutely loathed patrolling. That was probably something that a lot of people didn't know about her. They probably figured that because she was Hermione Granger, she loved all things that required keeping rule breakers in check. While that was kind of true, patrolling was not one of those things she loved. Maybe it had something to do with the dark…

The dark had always made her hair stand on end. You couldn't really see in the dark, so all of your other senses were heightened. Maybe that was a good thing, but it could also be overwhelming, making you hear things that weren't actually there. Darkness had a tendency to force your own mind to play tricks on you. However, the darkness wasn't so bad when you're not alone. That being said…the darkness was worse when you're alone with Draco Malfoy, an irate Draco Malfoy.

Hermione repressed another sigh as she looked out of the corner of her eye at her patrol partner. He had hardly said a word all night and Hermione didn't know what to do or say to make things better. She didn't like this awkward tension that was between them and she honestly wished that it would just go away on its own. She didn't exactly want to speak with him because, well, she was a bit peeved with him herself.

She couldn't believe that he had actually gotten into a physical fight with Harry and for what? Over something that she was dealing with? His concern was touching, really it was, but it wasn't any of his business, like Harry had said. Okay, so maybe that wasn't really what was bothering her. She honestly didn't mind the concern, she just wished that he had not have acted like such a Neanderthal about it. _Admit it, Hermione, part of you liked it_ , she thought. She bit her lip and glanced up at him in the darkness, the only light coming from his wand.

Okay, so maybe she _did_ like the fact that he'd been so protective of her. However, she was determined to not read too much into that. She simply liked it because he did what Harry, her supposed best friend, should have done. That was all. She hurriedly glanced away as he looked down at her. _Don't forget that he just wants to sleep with you again._

That little voice inside of her head was right. How did she know that he didn't act that way on purpose just to woo her or something? She suddenly shook her head, dismissing that train of thought. No, Draco would never go through that much trouble. Besides, he was just reacting the way any normal guy would, the way Harry should have. She suddenly halted as Draco came to a stop, seemingly listening for something.

"What is it," she asked.

"Shush," he hissed, eyes trained on a closed classroom door.

They both stood there for a few seconds, Hermione struggling to hear whatever it was that he was hearing.

"Stay here," he suddenly said before going into the classroom, disappearing into the darkness.

Hermione glanced around as she waited for him. After about three minutes she began to grow quite anxious, wondering just what the hell was going on in there.

"Draco…?"

Nothing. She licked her lips. Just what on earth could he have possibly heard? She was extremely tempted to go in, but he had demanded that she stay there. _Why are you even listening to him?_ That _was_ a good question. Just as she had made up her mind, she heard a thud from inside the classroom. Without a second thought, she ran inside, hands outstretched.

As soon as she stepped foot inside the classroom, the door slammed shut behind her and a firm hand was over her mouth. The other arm snaked around her waist and she gasped in shock. Draco leaned his back against the classroom door as he pressed his lips to the right side of her neck, his teeth nipping and tugging. She felt her eyes roll to the back of her head as he sucked on the sensitive flesh. He ground his hips against her backside and she couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips, the sound vibrating against his hand.

Before she knew what was happening, everything was spinning and she found her back pressed against the classroom door instead. She gasped as he reached down and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist. She opened her mouth to finally protest when he covered her lips with his own, his tongue immediately seeking hers out. One hand was digging into her waist and the other was pressed against the wood behind her. _This is wrong, Hermione_ , she reminded herself. She was right, this was wrong. Then why does it feel so good?

As if to prove her point, Draco ground his pelvis into hers, sending jolts of pleasure through her. Suddenly they were moving and she was being deposited on a desk. He hooked his hands under her knees, yanking her closer and letting out a growl before capturing her lips in another searing kiss.

"You want me," he quietly asked, his lips brushing against hers.

She nodded. _Yes. Why even deny such truth any longer?_

"Say it," he whispered.

"Yes, I want you," she gasped.

Of course she wanted him. He chuckled, pulling away.

"You want me, Hermione?"

"Yes," she hissed, reaching for him.

She frowned in confusion when he smacked her hand away. He kept his intense gaze on her as he trailed his wand down her shirt. He licked his lips before diving in again, eliciting a moan from her before he pulled away again, this time backing up.

"If you want me…," he began.

He backed towards the door, waving his wand, the door flying open. His eyes never left hers as he stared at her with a hunger she'd seen only one time before.

"Come and get me."

* * *

 **...1**

 **Blast off. Buckle your seat belts ladies and gents because from here on out it's going to be a bumpy ride.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Oh gosh, it's an update! I apologize for not updating for so long, especially when I updated M &M like...seven times lol. **

**I just want to say that please remember that I'm only 19 guys, not even a sophomore in college yet haha. Meaning, I'm not a perfect writer, but then again, I never claimed to be. Nor do I want to be. Surprise, surprise, I don't want to be a writer guys and it's a bit presumptuous to assume that every FF author does. So when people tell me that I should "stick to FF", it kind of makes me go "huh?", because I had no plans to go outside of FF or Wattpad (yes, I have a wattpad). So throwing how much you know about writing or your amount of degrees in it in my face means nothing to me because I don't want to be a writer. I'm a Marine Bio major lol. Nothing to do with writing at all. This is merely a hobby, one I get nothing but pure pleasure and excitement out of. I write because it's something that I love to do, but I have no desire to make a career out of it. Therefore, it kind of takes the fun out of it when people try to make it seem like I want to be the next J.K. Rowling or L.J. Smith. I'm just a regular girl who loves to write.**

 **Also, thank you to those who have been checking in on me on Tumblr. Sorry to make any of you think I was dead or something haha.**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

Hermione could hear a bird chirping outside on the balcony. That was the very first thing that she noted as she began to awaken. A sudden sense of déjà vu struck her as all of her senses and awareness came back to her, allowing her to feel the silk sheets that were draped over her naked body. Once Hermione slowly opened her eyes, she understood why she had the sudden feel of déjà vu. Although, unlike the last time she had woken up in this position, she remembered everything.

She blinked, taking in the familiar room before turning her head towards the balcony doors. It was quite early, tiny rays of sunlight slowly beginning to bleed into the sky. It wasn't much light, but she didn't need much to identify the person beside her whose arm was casually draped over her stomach.

She turned her head to the left and stared into the sleeping face of one Draco Lucius Malfoy. His mouth was slightly parted, faint breaths escaping his lips as he slept. He was lying on his stomach, the sheets barely covering his lower half, his toned back on full display. Hermione swallowed before closing her eyes, eyebrows furrowed. A wave of shame crashed into her as she thought back to last night's events.

...

 _Hermione stared into the darkness in shock at what had just happened. Her lips still tingled and her body was practically on fire from the intensity of the kiss. Her eyes were trained on the doorway in which he had just disappeared and Hermione currently found herself at war. She **did** want him…that much was obvious by now, so there really was no use in denying it._

But it was just supposed to be a onetime thing _, she thought. Hermione couldn't dare let herself get caught up with the likes of Draco Malfoy. Sure, they had called a so called truce at the beginning of the school year, but that and… **this** were two very different things. Hermione shook her head and hopped off of the desk, righting her clothes and trying to tame her hair. No, she was not going to go after him. _

_Blaise had gotten expelled and although she would be giving up her position as Head Girl for a month, her life was finally getting back on the right track. Even though she was at odds with Harry and Ron, Ginny was finally looking, and hopefully feeling, much better. Things were looking up, so why in the world would she screw it up by consenting to have sex with Draco again? Even going as far to participate in this silly game he was trying to play?_

 _Still, as Hermione was smoothing out her skirt, she found herself glancing up at the doorway again. She scoffed, looking away and shaking her head again in disbelief. She wanted him, very much so, much more than she was willing to admit. Why? What was it about him that made her act so uncharacteristically? She had wanted Ron once, but it hadn't felt like this, so why? Hermione exhaled, deciding to analyze that later. Right now, she needed to make a decision._

You've already made your decision remember? _She nodded in agreement at her thoughts. Right, she had made her decision. She wouldn't go after him…she couldn't. She exited the empty classroom and prepared herself to go left, heading towards the dorm. Why not?_

 _She came to a halt, her hand leaning against the wall._ It's…wrong _, she thought as a response. It was wrong…right? It was bad enough that she had done it once, but to do it again? If it ever got out…she'd be the laughing stock of the entire school. She could just hear the whispers now. Besides, Harry and Ron would be furious. They'd…_

 _Hermione suddenly blinked, a sudden feeling of realization washing over her. She wanted to do this. This was something that she wanted to do and everyone else in the school did what they wanted all the time. Hell, Parvati had slept with Ron, fully knowing the extent of Lavender's feelings for him. Why was it that everyone else did whatever the hell they wanted to do while she was constantly worried about the approval of others?_

 _She genuinely wanted to have sex with Draco again and there was nothing wrong with that. Besides, it's not like anyone would ever find out anyway. They wouldn't be hurting anybody like Ron and Parvati had done or like Harry had done to Ginny. No one would know. With her mind made up, she turned right and walked into the darkness._

 _..._

Hermione opened her eyes, heaving a quiet sigh before reaching down and gently gripping his hand. She slowly lifted it, careful not to wake him as she rolled out of his reach. She slid out of the bed, crouching on the floor as she heard him groan, followed by the sound of movement. She stood, relieved to see that he had just rolled over onto his back.

Hermione paused to stare at him as he slept, tempted to just get back in bed and not have to deal with what had happened. When Draco was sleeping, he didn't look so mean, so…intimidating. Hermione suddenly shook her head, forcing herself to turn away.

She spun around, eyes roaming around the room, searching for her clothes. Her shoulders sagged as her eyes finally landed on what was left of her uniform. She reached down, picking up her skirt and frowned; it was completely ripped. Her shirt fared no better and Hermione realized that she would definitely have to remedy her wand situation as soon as possible.

Hermione rifled through his clothes and was grateful to find a simple t shirt that wouldn't make it obvious that it wasn't hers. She hurried towards the door before looking back, relieved to find him still sleeping. She had just barely opened the door before she quickly shut it, a bit louder than she wanted to. Her eyes were wide and she wasn't surprised when she heard him loudly groan. She could hear him patting the bed, feeling for her, no doubt.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Hermione closed her eyes, forcing herself to ignore the way the husky sound of his morning voice made her feel. She spun around, back against the door.

"The replacement Head Girl is already down there," she whispered.

"Give me a minute. I was abruptly forced to wake up…," he mumbled.

Hermione opened her eyes, looking away at the sight of his bare chest as he pushed himself up to lean back on his elbows. His eyes were just barely parted and his pale hair was sticking up all over the place.

"She's already down there," he repeated, yawning.

"Yes. Fay Dunbar. She's sitting on the couch, probably waiting for me or you or something," Hermione quietly hissed.

Why was she there so early anyway? Fay Dunbar was a good student, yes, but to be at the Heads' dorm this bright and early? That was a bit extreme, something Hermione was sure she wouldn't even do. Unless of course, Fay wanted to impress someone…

Hermione's eyes slowly slid to Draco just as he exhaled, running his hand through his hair, dragging the other down his face. He looked at her, blinking a few times, before frowning. He stared at her like that for a painful amount of time, making Hermione quite self-conscious. She reached down, tugging on his shirt just as he tilted his head and asked:

"Is that my shirt?"

Hermione huffed before pointing at her destroyed uniform, letting him know that she fully blamed him for that. Draco followed her line of sight before chuckling.

"Oh…right," he said with a smirk.

She avoided his eyes as he turned to face her.

"I'm going through the bathroom. Deal with her," Hermione replied.

She had just barely made it to the door before she was harshly stopped, his arm snaking around her and forcing her to face him. She swallowed as he backed her up against the door, not even questioning how he had gotten out of bed so fast. She glanced away from his piercing eyes as he tilted his head down. He clearly didn't like that as he reached up and grabbed her chin, tilting her head up.

"You're not regretting last night, are you?"

Hermione wanted to regret last night, Merlin knows that she did, but she just couldn't find it in herself to. Was she a bit ashamed about what she had done? Of course, but she definitely wouldn't go as far to say that she regretted it. Hermione shook her head, looking away again once she realized that he was naked. It was almost as if he read her mind.

"Are you really bothered by me, right now, Hermione? You shouldn't be after last night," he said with a smirk, leaning in.

This seemed to snap Hermione out of whatever daze she was in. She finally got her bearings and brought her hand up so that his lips were pressed against her palm instead.

"Just because I don't regret what happened, doesn't mean that I'm eager to hop into your bed whenever you feel like it. Now, as I said earlier, deal with her. I'll be out soon."

And with that Hermione had entered the bathroom, closing the door in his face.

* * *

"Well, you know, I just wanted to be punctual."

"It's barely seven in the morning. Punctual is a bit of an understatement, don't you think?"

Hermione listened to their conversation as she hurried to get dressed. The irritation in Draco's voice was quite clear and she was kind of relieved that Draco's line of thinking coincided with her own. Of course, Hermione knew that she wasn't the only one gunning for Head Girl, but Fay's eagerness was a bit…concerning. For Merlin's sake, Hermione hadn't even gotten her things yet.

"Well…I always wanted to be Head Girl. Naturally, Granger got it…no surprise there…"

Did Hermione detect a bit of bitterness? Hermione rolled her eyes at herself. What a stupid thing to ask. Of course, Fay would be a bit put out that Hermione had gotten the position instead of her.

"You must be glad that you'll get a break from her these next few weeks," Fay said.

Hermione paused, frowning. What was _that_ supposed to mean?

"Whatever do you mean," Draco quietly asked.

Hermione slowly straightened up, recognizing that tone all too well. She stared at her door, almost trying to see through it as Fay continued, oblivious to Draco's change in attitude.

"It's…Hermione Granger. Come on, Malfoy, you know exactly what I mean. She's this self-righteous, insufferable know-it-all. She sits up on her high horse, looking down her nose at anyone she deems to be less intelligent than her which, probably in her mind, is basically everyone," Fay said with a chuckle.

Hermione tried to ignore the slight sting she felt as Fay's words reached her ears, but it was kind of hard to. Draco didn't respond and Hermione could just imagine the tension on the other side of that door. Hermione took this opportunity to exit her room, the sound of her door opening drawing attention to her. Fay's eyes were wide, clearly surprised to see her.

"Oh! Granger…I didn't think that you were here," Fay said with an awkward chuckle.

"Really? What would make you think that," Hermione asked, walking down the stairs.

"I checked your room when I came in. I guess you must have been in the bathroom-"

"Why were you checking her room?"

They both turned to look at Draco at his sudden question. Hermione gave him a look, but he ignored her, instead leaning his hip against the couch, arms folded over his chest. His hard eyes were trained on the brunette sitting on the couch, his gaze absolutely piercing.

"I was looking for her," Fay answered, visibly uncomfortable.

"Ever heard of knocking?"

"I did-"

"So you just barged in," he firmly stated, interrupting her.

"Malfoy," Hermione reprimanded, taken aback by his behavior.

What the hell was wrong with him? Draco simply shrugged, pushing away from the couch.

"Just curious…"

Hermione sighed before turning to look at Fay.

"Fay, why don't you go ahead and take your things up there? I apologize, I'm a little bit behind this morning, but I should be out of your hair within a couple of hours," Hermione said.

Fay seemed more than eager to not only get inside the room, but probably away from Draco as well. Hermione rounded on him as soon as the door closed.

"What is wrong with you?"

Draco chuckled, leaning against the wall before shaking his head at her.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with _you_? That girl doesn't like you," he said, nodding towards her room door.

"And? This might come as a shock to you, but not many do," Hermione said.

"Did you hear what she said?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was barely a month ago when you felt the same way. You probably still do, no amount of sex is going to change that."

"You're completely missing the point. She wants your Head Girl position. This is like Christmas to her," Draco said.

"Draco-"

"She's practically dying to know why you're being relieved of your duties. Believe me when I say that she's going to take advantage of this as much as she possibly can. I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to make this a permanent situation," Draco said.

Hermione sighed, glancing over her shoulder at her door.

"I'm not saying that I don't believe you, and I promise that I'm taking you seriously, but I just think that you're being a bit paranoid. It's perfectly understandable after everything that has happened," Hermione replied.

"That's what gets me, Hermione. You'd think that you would be too _because_ of everything that has happened. Are you forgetting why we're in this situation to begin with?"

"No, I haven't, thank you very much. I'm just saying that we can't be immediately suspicious of every single person that waltzes into our lives. We'd be looking over our shoulders for the rest of the year. I just think that we should give her the benefit of the doubt," Hermione said.

Draco slowly exhaled before lowering his arms and walking towards her. Hermione stood her ground as he stopped in front of her, looking down his nose at her. When he spoke, it was very quiet, unnervingly so.

"Are you forgetting what happened the last time you decided to give someone the benefit of the doubt?"

Hermione sharply inhaled, eyes widening.

"How dare you," she quietly hissed.

"How dare I? How dare _you_? That's your problem, Hermione. You're too _nice_. You let people walk all over you," he said.

"That is not true."

"Isn't it, though? You let Potter in here after what had happened between the three of you. How you could even talk to him is beyond me," he replied.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand," she snapped.

"Oh no, I understand perfectly. You like to believe that deep down, everyone is good, and everyone will do the right thing in the end. Guess what? That's not true, princess. Maybe Weasley didn't make a mistake. Maybe he's just an asshole. Maybe Potter isn't really sorry. Maybe he just feels obligated to apologize because he doesn't want you to have a life outside of them. Maybe Fay Dunbar didn't show up early because she wanted to be punctual. Maybe those things she said about you weren't harmless jabs. Maybe, just maybe, she actually hates your guts and would like nothing more than to take away something that's very important to you," he ranted.

Hermione let out a humorless chuckle.

"What else could I possibly expect from you? Behold, the view of the world from the mind of a Slytherin. Believe it or not, some people do have good intentions. Now, I'm not saying that that's the case for Fay, but I'm not going to burn her at the stake just yet because you think she's out to get me."

"That kind of thinking is exactly why Weasley has been able to worm his way back into your life every single time. I'm almost positive that this time is going to be no different. You let him walk all over you, it's like your resolve completely disappears," Draco hissed.

"Funny, I didn't hear any complaints about my lack of resolve last night," Hermione spat.

Draco paused, blinking, before a smirk grew over his lips.

"Heh. Fine. Trust the bitch then, but I won't," he said with a sneer, brushing past her.

* * *

"So it is true. Zabini is expelled…," Lavender quietly repeated to herself.

Hermione tugged the arms of her sweater further down to cover her hands. It was quite chilly outside, but not biting enough to make the weather unenjoyable. Since Blaise would no longer be a problem, Hermione had finally decided to tell Lavender everything. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous for Lavender's reaction.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Lavender turned to look at Hermione and Hermione glanced away from the accusing look in Lavender's eyes.

"Believe me, I wanted to. However, the only reason you were ever even in this mess in the first place was because of me. I thought that by telling you, it would put you back on his radar and I felt guilty enough as it was," Hermione said.

Lavender blinked, slowly shaking her head in disbelief.

"It's just so…surprising. I never in a million years would have thought that… All because Draco got Head Boy instead of him? That's absurd," Lavender spat.

Hermione shrugged, agreeing.

"That's what he said. Although, part of me feels like there's more to it, but I guess I'll never know."

"I can't even imagine what you had to put up with. At the Halloween Ball, I thought that the two of you… You _did_ say it was complicated. I never would have guessed that he was blackmailing you. I really wish that you would have told me," Lavender whispered.

"I know."

"What was he blackmailing you with," Lavender suddenly asked.

Hermione swallowed, briefly closing her eyes. She had hoped that Lavender wouldn't ask that. Of course, Hermione realized, that would be too much to ask for. Apparently, Hermione didn't respond quickly enough.

"You've told me everything else. _This_ is where you draw the line?"

"Lavender, I can't. It's not important, anyway," Hermione lied, brushing it off.

"It's clearly important enough if Blaise was able to blackmail you with it," Lavender replied.

Hermione turned to face her, looking her in the eyes.

"No. Okay? I'm sorry, but no."

Lavender clearly understood the seriousness of it by the conviction in Hermione's words, so she nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"Okay. I didn't mean to be pushy about it. You can tell me whenever you want to, if you ever want to. Just promise me, that next time something like this happens, you'll tell me," she proposed.

Hermione gave a half smile.

"I promise."

"Good. You don't have to fight alone, you know. You have me…and Malfoy," Lavender said with a slow smile, bumping Hermione's shoulder.

"What?"

Lavender gave her a look.

"Hermione, come on. He warned you and warned you about Blaise. He risked getting into so much trouble by beating the crap out of him for you. Now, my brain may not be as big as yours, but if there was a class on boys and their behaviors, I'd get an Outstanding."

Hermione shook her head, brushing Lavender's words aside.

"No. Blaise and Malfoy had been at odds for years. That blowup was a long time coming, believe me. I had nothing to do with it," Hermione replied.

"Speak of the devil…and he shall appear," Lavender suddenly said, her attention on something else entirely.

Hermione looked up to see Draco walking across the school grounds. He was in a rush, clearly late for something as he briskly made his way across the courtyard. Almost as if he had heard them, he glanced up, briefly catching Hermione's eyes.

* * *

 _Hermione hurried down the dark corridor, her hand brushing along the wall to steady her. Hermione couldn't even describe how nervous she was even if she wanted to. Her heart felt like it was going to climb up and jump straight out of her mouth. However, it wasn't exactly an unpleasant feeling. How was it that she could be both excited and scared at the same time? The last time she had felt like this was during fifth year, when they had left the school to go and break into the Department of Mysteries._

 _She suddenly spun around, eyes wide as she tried to peer into the darkness. She swallowed, certain that she had heard a noise. She took a step back, reluctant to turn back around, but she eventually did just that. She took slow, uncertain steps, doing her best to listen for his footsteps._

 _It was so quiet, quiet enough for Hermione to hear her erratic heartbeat in her ears. She slowly turned to her left, walking down a corridor with windows. Her nervousness eased a bit as the moonlight shone through, giving her some light. She had made her way halfway down the corridor when she suddenly stopped._

 _It was quiet, too quiet. This was how she heard the footsteps suddenly stop as soon as hers did. Her heart sped up and goosebumps appeared all over her flesh as it set in that she wasn't alone. It was then that Hermione realized; she was the one being hunted. Hermione glanced over her shoulder, her eyes landing on the silhouette at the end of the corridor. Hermione slowly turned back around…and ran._

 _Hermione's hair flew behind her as she sprinted throughout the castle, hurrying down the stairs. She couldn't help the blinding grin that was probably on her face. This was new and exciting for her. For the first time, in a while, she was actually having fun…and it was with Draco. She quickly turned right, Draco's fingers brushing against her arm as he just missed her. She chuckled as she heard him let out a string of curses._

 _Hermione was almost there. She hightailed it down the hall and had just made it to the portrait when a firm arm hooked around her waist, yanking her back into a hard chest. She gasped as he pressed her against the door, his lips brushing against her ear._

 _"Got ya."_

* * *

Hermione browsed the titles, desperately trying to get back into the groove of being ahead on her homework. The whole Blaise ordeal had done more than just distracted her. For a time, it was the only thing she had been concerned about, keeping her from her studies. Now, it seemed to be all anyone else was concerned about. She did her best to not let the curious gazes faze her. By now, everyone had heard about Blaise's expulsion. Granted, it had only happened yesterday, but that was more than enough time for this school. Hermione's hand paused as she heard her name being called. She turned around, surprised to see Fay Dunbar.

"Oh! Hi," Hermione said.

"Granger," Fay said.

"How are you enjoying the dorm so far?"

Fay chuckled, looking much prettier with a smile, her blue eyes contrasting with her dark hair.

"It's nice. Well, at least the view is, if you know what I mean," Fay hinted with a wink.

Hermione suppressed an uncomfortable laugh of her own. Hermione knew _exactly_ what she meant, for she had seen the view herself. She mentally shook her head, shaking those thoughts away.

"Right."

"I forget that you and Malfoy just barely cooperate with one another," Fay said with a nod, chuckling.

Hermione only nodded, thinking to herself that if only Fay knew.

"I didn't realize that you had an interest in Veelas," Fay suddenly said, pointing at Hermione's hand.

Hermione turned to see that she had paused with her hand hovering over a book that was, in fact, about Veelas.

"Oh! No, Merlin no. I was just trying to get ahead on some classwork," Hermione replied, pulling her hand away.

"How nice."

Fay sounded like it was anything but nice. Hermione was just about to inquire as to why she was here when Fay spoke.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase. I don't like you all that much, Hermione."

Hermione blinked and raised her eyebrows at Fay's bluntness, but appreciated it nonetheless.

"That isn't exactly news," Hermione said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Fay let out a closed mouth chuckle, looking as if she was going to say something, but appeared to have thought better of it.

" _That_ is exactly why I don't care for you. You have walked around this school for years, looking down your nose at just about everyone," Fay began.

Hermione sighed. She had heard this earlier this morning, so the sting wasn't as bad this time.

"You have treated and talked to so many of us like we're idiots," she said.

Hermione frowned, taken back by this.

"That's not true," she protested.

Fay put her hand up.

"Whether you noticed you did it or not, it clearly comes with being who you are. I studied like crazy just to even match with you, only for it to be futile. I eventually had to accept that some people have it and some just…don't," Fay said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Fay, look, if I ever made you or anyone else feel…dumb, I'm sorry. It was never my intention," Hermione apologized.

"I don't believe that, but it doesn't matter. I may have always coveted the position of Head Girl, but I knew that I just didn't compare to you. I may be bitter, but I'm not deluded. You're an intelligent girl, Hermione and everyone knows it. You have earned the title of 'Brightest Witch of Our Age'. You deserve to be Head Girl," Fay continued.

"Well…thank you," Hermione said, suddenly unsure as to where this conversation was headed.

"However, despite the rubbish that Headmistress McGonagall gave me, you've clearly done something that doesn't represent the title well."

Hermione clenched her jaw, biting her tongue.

"For whatever reason, she's decided to be lenient with you. Hermione Granger getting special treatment, what a surprise. You've earned Head Girl, yes, but you blew it by doing whatever it was that you did. I don't know why McGonagall hasn't relieved you of your duties for good. You screwed up, so now it's somebody else's turn," Fay ranted.

"I'm sorry that you feel that way, but that isn't your decision."

"We'll see about that," Fay replied before turning around and walking away.

Hermione sighed leaning back against the bookshelf. Hermione already felt that McGonagall had been lenient with her, this only solidified that suspicion.

"Don't you just love it when I'm right?"

Hermione closed her eyes, only half surprised at the voice that came from her left. She turned her head to look at Draco as he stepped from around the bookshelf to lean his shoulder against it. A haughty smirk graced his lips.

"Quite the contrary actually," Hermione replied.

"What are you going to do," he suddenly asked.

"What can I do? She isn't wrong. Even I expected my punishment to be greater than this," she answered.

"So, you're just what, going to let her sabotage you or something? Let her go after Head Girl all the while trying to seduce yours truly," he questioned.

Hermione snorted before she could stop herself.

"What?"

Her question came out disbelieving. Draco merely shrugged.

"She's barely been Head Girl for twelve hours and she's already trying to get into my pants. I feel so objectified, Hermione," he said in mock outrage, a frown on his face.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, is she…succeeding?"

She watched as he chuckled, lowering his head and shoving his hands into his pockets, crossing one ankle behind the other.

"No…she's not really my type," he said, lifting his head to look at her.

"Oh? How so?"

"Her hair is…far too straight for my liking…and her eyes are just a little bit too bright," he whispered.

Hermione rolled her eyes again and turned away, looking ahead. It was getting late, so there was hardly anyone else in the library.

"You're not really going to let her go after Head Girl, are you?"

"She's right, Draco. I put others in this school in danger. If it were anyone else, I don't think that McGonagall would have hesitated to all but rip the badge out of their hand. Why should I be any different?"

"What's wrong with a little special treatment?"

"Of course, you would say that," Hermione said.

"Look, if Fay wanted it, she should have worked harder. Plain and simple," he spat.

"You really don't like her, do you? Any particular reason as to why," Hermione questioned, turning to face him.

"She's out to get you. Isn't that enough?"

Hermione chuckled.

"For you? No, it isn't. Look, Head Girl means a lot to me, yes, more than you can even imagine. However, I'm starting to realize that I'm not the only one that it means something to," Hermione said, pushing away from the shelf.

She didn't give Draco time to reply as she exited the library.

* * *

 _Hermione locked her legs around Draco's waist as he pressed her into the door of his bedroom, slamming it shut. His lips hungrily sought her own as he dug his fingers into the skin of her back. Hermione pulled away from his mouth to gasp as he thrust inside of her, her legs almost going limp from the feel._

 _He pulled them away from the door and spun around, kicking his pants off as soon as they fell onto his bed. She leaned up, grazing her teeth against his neck as he reached down and gripped her skirt in his hands. The harsh sound of tearing fabric reached her ears, but Hermione didn't have a chance to voice her annoyance._

 _Draco reached up to intertwine his fingers with her own, pinning them beside her head, against the mattress. Hermione let out a shuddering moan as he moved within her, slowly. Her eyelashes fluttered and her eyes rolled to the back of her head, feeling every inch of him. He let go of her hands, reaching down to grip her backside to pull her closer._

 _Hermione threw her arms around him, gasping when he sat up, lifting her up and resting her on his thighs. One hand trailed up her back, tearing her shirt as it went, before stopping at the back of her neck. He brought her head forward so that their lips met, his covering hers with a frenzied desire. He thrust inside of her a few more times before Hermione came with a shudder, her gasps being swallowed by his lips._

 _Draco only pulled away long enough to fling his shirt off before pushing her onto her back again. He slipped his fingers between hers again before looking into her eyes. Hermione was coming down from her high as she gazed up at him, taking note of the smirk on his lips._

 _"Hey, remember that time I told you I would have you again before the month-"_

 _"Shut up," Hermione interrupted, reaching up with her free hand to bring his head down to hers._

 _The sound of his chuckle rang throughout the room._

* * *

"You have to do something!"

"Shh," Hermione said, glancing around.

"Hermione, she's after Head Girl. Don't you care?"

"Lavender, I told you because you said, next time something like this happens, to keep you in the loop. That is all. I didn't tell you to have you advise me on what I should do to her. If I'm even going to do anything about it," Hermione said.

Lavender sighed, shaking her head.

"I don't believe this. I can't even fathom what I'm hearing. That trollop-."

"I haven't decided that I'm _not_ going to do anything. I'm just a little torn right now-."

Hermione was suddenly interrupted by a loud blood-curdling scream. She and Lavender looked up just in time to see someone fall down the stairs at an alarmingly fast rate, too fast for anyone to react in time. She watched in horror as they landed at bottom in a heap, head banging against the stone floor, form limp. At once, everyone seemed to scramble towards the student, talking over each other. Hermione got closer just as someone else screamed and Hermione turned to see Hannah Abbott hovering closely.

Hermione swallowed as she realized that the student was Fay Dunbar…and she was dead. Everyone else seemed to realize what Hannah had just noticed and the commotion got louder as everyone began to wonder what had happened. Some students backed up in terror, hands covering their mouths in disbelief. Fay's legs were twisted at an odd angle, her arms spread out and eyes staring up.

"Oh Merlin," Hermione heard Lavender whisper behind her.

Hermione heard someone scream out to go get the Headmistress, but Hermione barely paid them any attention. Movement at the top of her vision had caught her eye and she looked up just in time to see the Head Boy walk past. He glanced down at the commotion, completely unbothered with his hands shoved into his pockets. His blank gaze lingered in Hermione's mind long after he had turned the corner.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is such a short chapter, so I'm sorry.**

 **I always love reading your reviews, btw. I appreciate every single one of them! I feel like I don't say that enough.**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

Hermione rigidly sat in her chair, mind somewhere else entirely as Headmistress McGonagall continued to talk. Her eyes were trained on the Headmistress, but she did not see her. All Hermione could see was Fay Dunbar's death over and over again in her mind. She swallowed, twiddling with her fingers. If she closed her eyes, Hermione was sure that she could still hear her scream…a scream that still sent shivers down her spine.

Ever since the war had ended, Hermione had grown used to not hearing screams like that anymore. It was a scream filled with nothing but pure terror. If Hermione had to guess, when Fay screamed, she knew that she was going to die. Now, Hermione definitely wasn't Fay's biggest fan, not by a longshot, but she would never have wished the girl dead. She repressed the urge to sigh, instead looking down at her lap, eyes connecting with her black attire.

There had been a memorial service for Fay, all of the students assembling in the Great Hall to hear the Headmistress' speech. Hermione could still remember the looks on some of the students' faces. Many were bewildered, still trying to comprehend how someone could be here one minute and gone the next, just like that. Others, more than likely those who were very close to Fay, couldn't contain their grief. Their cries could even be heard over Headmistress McGonagall. Some, just a few, were very detached about it, more than likely not really knowing the girl at all, and one…

Hermione slowly lifted her head, peeking out of the corner of her eye at Draco. Even now, as he listened to McGonagall, there was something very cold about his demeanor. It was more than just being detached, in fact, Hermione would even say that he wasn't indifferent at all. He gave off an aura of what she could only describe as satisfaction.

Hermione was broken out of her spell when Draco turned to face her. Hermione blinked, suddenly realizing that McGonagall had spoken to her. She turned to face her Headmistress.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said it appears that you won't be going anywhere. Of course, there is a third choice for Head Girl for situations such as these where the second choice…is unable to be Head Girl. However, the third choice is rather… _questionable_ , especially when paired with the Head Boy," McGonagall said, eyeing Draco.

Hermione blinked, attempting to wrap her head around what she was saying.

"Well…what about my punishment? Surely, this can't mean that I'm getting off scot-free," Hermione said.

She didn't want to add any more guilt to that which she already had.

"No, of course not, Ms. Granger. However, I have yet to come up with a suitable punishment, so as eager as you are for it to be dealt, for now, you will just have to wait," McGonagall said, standing and gesturing for them to exit.

"Wait," Hermione said, jumping up.

"Yes, Ms. Granger?"

Hermione swallowed.

"Did they ever find out what happened to Fay? Did she fall or…," Hermione trailed off, unable to bring herself to state the other possibility.

She heard Draco heave a rather exasperated sigh. McGonagall sighed, a touch of sadness seeping into her features.

"It appears that it was nothing short of an unfortunate accident," she answered.

"They're sure?"

"Well, yes. Quite sure, actually. Even if there was even a little suspicion about the circumstances surrounding her death, the only people with motives in this school are…well, you and Mr. Malfoy, seeing as she was preparing to take your position for a month. You were with Ms. Brown when it happened and Mr. Malfoy was seen out on the Quidditch Pitch."

Hermione's mouth parted, blinking as she heard that last bit. _What?_

"Now, if that is all…"

Hermione nodded, turning away and following Malfoy out of the exit. She slowly followed him into the corridor, her mind going wild. Draco was seen outside? No, that couldn't be right…

"Well, I believe congratulations are in order."

She looked up at him as he walked towards her, a devilish smirk on his lips. Hermione felt goosebumps erupt over her flesh as he reached out, trailing his fingers down her arms before pulling her closer.

"Should I welcome you home properly…dear?"

She pulled away from him, shaking her head. He laughed at her expression.

"Relax. I was only kidding…mostly," he said, smirk growing.

"I saw you," she whispered.

He raised an eyebrow.

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific as to where you saw me. I get around…"

"When Fay… _fell_ , I saw you at the top of the stairs. I find that very interesting, even more so now that I've learned that someone else apparently saw you or was with you on the Quidditch Pitch. How can that be, Draco?"

He only shrugged, frustrating her.

"That's your answer? You're just…not going to answer," she demanded.

He tilted his head, smirk fading as he stepped towards her. Hermione took a step back at the look in his eyes. It was a predatory look, one he had used before when they were… _together_. Then, she found it hot, now…now it was a bit unsettling.

"See, that is the beauty about…whatever this thing is between us. You're not my girlfriend, you're not my wife, and I _don't_ have to answer to you," he firmly stated.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, pursing her lips. They stared into one another's eyes, straight-faced.

"Is that all…mum?"

She exhaled, rolling her eyes at him and waving her hand, signaling that she had nothing more to say. He brushed past her and Hermione found herself shivering as his arm touched hers.

* * *

Harry heaved a tired sigh, drumming his fingers on the table before straightening up in his seat. She could feel his eyes briefly land on her before looking away.

"Guys…we've been sitting here for about twenty minutes now. No one has spoken a word. Somebody has to say something," he pleaded.

Hermione stared right at the bookshelf, opting to be the stubborn one for once. Harry had tricked her into this little meeting and she wasn't happy about it one bit. _How could I have been so gullible_ , she thought. It took everything in her not to curse the boy who was currently sitting across from her…or the one to her left. Honestly, either one would do at the moment.

"Ron…didn't you tell me that you had something to say?"

Hermione heard Ron huff, shuffling in his seat. She didn't care what he had to say, she just wanted to get this over with.

"I'm sorry…Hermione."

"Hermione?"

Hermione laughed without humor, shaking her head before turning to look at Ron. His eyes were downcast, the coward couldn't even look her in the eyes.

"I don't accept your apology," she said before turning to face Harry. "I still haven't accepted _yours_."

Harry's face crumbled as he reached out.

"Come on, guys, we've been through too much together only to end up like this," Harry said, at a loss.

"That's rich, coming from you," she scoffed, eyes raking over his form in disgust.

Harry heaved another sigh, running his fingers through his hair.

"I called us all together because…because we need this. Whether it be reconciliation or…or-."

"Closure," Hermione proposed, tightening her arms over her chest.

Harry closed his mouth, swallowing before biting his lip with a reluctant nod.

"Or closure…," the word came out strangled, "…We need to deal with this, one way or another. I just want us all to get it all out, everything, right here at this table."

No one spoke.

"Fine. I'll go first. I've already said it, but I'll say it how many times it needs to be said. Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for how I acted and I'm sorry for what I said. I'm sorry for making it seem like I condoned Ron's actions when I didn't. I'm sorry that it took me so long, too long, to even apologize in the first place. I'm sorry for not standing by you," Harry said.

Hermione heard his words and while she was moved by them, Draco's harsher words kept replaying in her brain.

 _You like to believe that deep down, everyone is good, and everyone will do the right thing in the end. Guess what? That's not true, princess. Maybe Weasley didn't make a mistake. Maybe he's just an asshole. Maybe Potter isn't really sorry. Maybe he just feels obligated to apologize because he doesn't want you to have a life outside of them._

Hermione heard Ron heave a sigh. He didn't speak right away and Hermione wondered if he would speak at all.

"I really am sorry, Hermione. I know that what happened was inexcusable and I wish that I could just take it back. I was so upset about you kissing Blaise…or Blaise kissing you, whatever. I was angry and then when you compared me to Malfoy, implying that I was trying to be like…like that _bastard_ … All of a sudden, I wasn't just angry. It was like a blinding rage took over me…like I wasn't even myself," he quietly began, voice strained.

Hermione said nothing, refusing to even look his way as he talked.

"I wanted to drop to my knees and beg you for forgiveness the minute it had fully registered what I had done, but I was too ashamed. I didn't want to see you, see how you would react to me. I didn't want to see the look of absolute hatred in your eyes…directed at me. I wish that I could show you just how sorry I am," Ron whispered.

Hermione swallowed, throat thick with emotion as she closed her eyes.

 _Maybe Weasley didn't make a mistake. Maybe he's just an asshole._

 _You let him walk all over you, it's like your resolve completely disappears._

Hermione stood, surprising them with her abrupt movement. She blinked, fighting the urge to cry.

"We can't be friends anymore," she said, the words almost tumbling out.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed, a look passing through his eyes that told her that he was not surprised at all by her declaration. Ron stood too, eyes wide, eyebrows furrowed.

"That's all we get?"

"That's all you deserve. I can't do this anymore," she shakily whispered, turning to leave.

She sped up her pace as she heard footsteps behind her.

"Hermione!"

The corridor was empty, fortunately, because she knew that it wouldn't be long before he caught up with her. Her timing was perfect, Ron had gently grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him.

"Hermione…Hermione, please look at me," he pleaded.

Hermione shook her head, using everything she had to keep from crying.

"I can't. I can't do it, Ron. I don't understand how we ended up here," she said.

"Tell me what to do. Tell me what I need to do to fix this…"

Hermione humorlessly chuckled, recalling a time when she had told Ginny the same thing. She backed away from him, finally lifting her head to look up at him.

"There's nothing that you can do. Everything has changed…"

Ron looked down, kicking at the floor.

"Harry was always a good guy. He may have been a bit impulsive at times, but a good guy nonetheless and you…Ron. You were always…solid. You were never perfect, none of us are, but you held us together. You're loyal, brave, and…and always willing to prove yourself. Despite what people say, you are smart. Even if you don't believe it, I've always known that…"

Ron was looking at her now, a troubled frown on his face.

"…and you care, _so much_. You may not show it in the most traditional sense, but sometimes I think that you care more than any of us. Or at least I used to think that," she said, glancing away.

"Hermione-."

"I don't know what happened. I don't know why Harry suddenly started treating Ginny like crap. I don't know why the two of you began to shut me out, replacing me with the masses of other girls who were willing to give you what you wanted. I don't know when you turned into… _this_ ," she gestured towards him "…but this is not the Ron that I thought I loved."

Ron blinked, mouth parting as he stepped towards her. He suddenly clenched his jaw, swallowing.

"Hermione…you _know_ how I've always felt about you," he whispered.

"Have I? What could you have possibly done that would convey that to me? I liked you, _really_ liked you and I had thought that you felt the same way. Then, all of a sudden, you're with Lavender and Parvati and Padma and Susan-."

"I get it, Hermione," he said, as if the reminder of all of his great conquests was somehow upsetting _him_.

"No, I don't think that you do. You don't get how that made me feel. I fancied myself in love with you and I had been under the impression that the feeling was mutual and next thing I know… All of the guys are praising you and so many girls are giving me the stink eye because they think I might steal you away. Funny, because I had thought that you were already mine…"

Ron closed his eyes, heaving a quiet sigh.

"I just…I can't be around either of you. I don't know if this is temporary, but at this point…I don't think that I care," she said, sad.

Ron strode to her, taking her hands in his, a desperate look in his eyes.

"Hermione…please…"

She shushed him, pressing her fingers to his lips, resting her other hand on his cheek.

"I forgive you, Ron, not for you, but for me. I forgive you…but it doesn't change the fact that I can barely stand to look at you," she whispered.

She backed away from him, tempted to say something else, but thought better of it. She turned around, walking away from the library, heading towards the dorm that was now hers again. The further she got away from him, the more tears she shed. She wasn't sure if this was a permanent thing or not. _Then why did it feel like goodbye?_ More tears fell and she found herself stopping at the sight of her dorm mate, her lover, exiting the portrait.

He stopped too at the sight of her, his features pulling into a frown. They walked towards each other, well, she honestly stumbled towards him than anything else. He steadied her, resting his hands on her shoulders as he held her upright.

"Hermione…?"

His voice was deep and threatening, questioning the cause of her current state. She shook her head, bringing her hands up to curl around his wrists. She just wanted to forget, if only for a minute. She wanted to forget about Ron and Harry. She wanted to even forget about her suspicions about him for a moment. She sniffed, giving him a half smile.

"If…if I asked you to kiss me, would you?"

Draco stared at her for a few seconds, before a slow half smile of his own traveled over his lips.

"Always," he said before pulling her in, pressing his lips against hers.

* * *

"Ron apologized to me," she finally said.

She tucked her feet further underneath her, clutching her sweater to her cold frame. They had been sitting on the couch, staring into the fire in the fireplace for a few minutes now. She hadn't wanted to talk, afraid that if she started then she would not be able to stop. She heard Draco scoff.

"Let me guess…you forgave him," he spat.

She turned away from the burning wood to look at him. She stared at his sharp profile as he kept his eyes on the fire, refusing to look her way. The light reflected off of his irises, making his eyes look that much colder.

"I did, but I was still able to walk away…"

He looked at her then, grey eyes boring into her own.

"I forgave him for me, not for him. I knew that in order to let go…I had to do it right. I don't know if this is forever, but he knows that he messed up," she continued when he didn't speak.

"Is that why you were crying, because you had to let go?"

She shakily nodded, exhaling.

"I just don't know how we got here. I don't know how three of us ended up like this, how Ginny and I ended up like this, how Lavender and I ended up like this…"

They met each other's gaze and Hermione licked her lips, Draco's eyes zeroing in on the movement.

"How we ended up like this," she whispered, her eyes moving over his face.

"Well…I think we both know how we ended up like this," he whispered back with a small smirk.

She looked away as he brought his hand up to trail it along her throat.

"I think that it had something to do with you wanting to know all about…le sexe, non?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, it did," she said with a smile, despite her best efforts to hide it.

He placed his finger underneath her chin, slowly turning her head to face him. Her eyes connected with his before they fluttered closed, his soft lips finding hers. Once, quickly, then twice, then finally resting there, tilting her head with his other hand. Her body suddenly wasn't so cold anymore.

How was he able to do this to her? How was it possible for someone to have so much influence, so much control, so much power over another person? She was convinced that he had smeared some type of drug over his lips because they were even more intoxicating than she remembered. She wanted to kiss him for as long as she could and that…was _not_ good. That was not good at all.

He pulled away, only about a hairs width away before whispering:

"Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"

At this moment, Hermione wanted to more than anything. She turned her head away, sighing when she heard him huff.

"Do you really care that much about what people think?"

Hermione shook her head.

"I…I don't know, Draco. This is all so new to me, I wish that you would remember that. You were my first and before you, I hadn't even been _kissed_ properly," she whispered.

He turned her to face him again, his finger resting on her cheek.

"Don't think about it then. Just…do. Didn't you want to forget about Harry and Ron? That's why you kissed me, right?"

She nodded. His eyes seemed to glow in the low light.

"Good, then let me help you forget," he proposed, leaning in.

"I can't. I need to talk to you," she suddenly said, pushing against his chest.

She had wanted to pretend like this wasn't weighing on her mind, but it was no use. She needed to at least get this out of the way before she drove herself crazy. He sighed in frustration, running his hand through his hair before straightening up. He waved his hand, signaling for her to get on with it.

"Draco…I saw you. Okay? When Fay fell I saw you at the top of those stairs," she said.

Draco sighed, turning away to stare into the fireplace with a straight face.

"…and someone else apparently saw you at The Quidditch Pitch. It doesn't make any sense," she said.

He turned to look at her then, his piercing gaze colliding with her own.

"So what are you saying," he lowly questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Hermione swallowed, noticing the suddenly tense atmosphere.

"I'm just saying…that…that while I may not have been her biggest fan, you were very vocal about your strong dislike for Fay."

Draco scoffed.

"Don't try to be so political about it, Hermione. I _hated_ the bitch…"

"Yes, exactly. Look…if the two of you got into an argument, whether it be about me or she was coming on too strong, it's okay. If you were there, just say so-."

"How about I say what we both know you want to say," he said, slowly standing.

"Draco…"

"What are you accusing me of, Hermione?"

He had turned to face her now, his frame blocking the view of the fireplace, the low light around him like a heavenly glow. _Or flames of hell…_ Hermione looked up at him with a sigh before shaking her head. She began to stand up.

"Forget I said anything. You're right, I'm being ridiculous-."

She had cut herself off with a gasp as Draco had gently pushed her back onto the couch. He placed his hands on the couch behind her head, caging her in. His grey eyes swirled with sinful intentions as he leaned in.

"No…say it…," he hissed, eyes staring into her own.

"I said forget-."

"I don't want to forget it. I want you to say it, Hermione," he whispered, leaning in some more.

His nose brushed against hers before trailing it down her cheek.

"You think I killed her…," his words twisted around her like a snake.

"No-."

"Yes, you do. You think I, what, pushed her down the stairs?"

Hermione swallowed, a shiver traveling down her spine as one of his hands trailed down her side. She clutched his arm as it neared her thigh.

"Or do you think I tripped her?"

Hermione was at a loss for words as his fingers danced along the inside of her thigh. His knees rested on the couch in between her parted legs, his lips brushing against her neck.

"Maybe I used my wand? Oh, but no, they'd detect that. It had to have been a Muggle method," he proposed, slipping his fingers past the barrier of her underwear with ease.

Hermione threw her head back, mouth agape as he worked between her legs. The hand that was clutching his arm, meant to push him away, was now trying to pull him closer. She let out a breathy moan as he plunged the digits inside of her repeatedly.

"You think I'm a killer, Hermione?"

"No," she breathed, bucking against his hand.

He grazed his teeth along her neck, causing her heart to speed up.

"Yes, you do. You think I'm capable of cold blooded murder," he hissed just before biting into the skin of her neck.

Hermione was pushed over the edge and she clenched around his fingers with a vengeance. She panted, chest heaving as he continued to thrust his hand.

"Part of you thinks that I'm a murderer…and yet, here you are, riding out your climax on _my_ hand. What does that say about you?"

Hermione's eyes flew open as he withdrew his hand from in between her legs. She hurriedly sat up and watched as he wrapped his lips around his fingers with a smirk. A sinking feeling settled in her gut as his words registered.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

She finally closed her legs as the sound of his door closing reached her ears.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13

**An update, yes! I really intended to update last week for a certain someone's birthday, but because this is finals week, I spent a lot of time studying last week. Some of you were asking about the "update" and it was just an A/N talking about my new story that I published. Don't worry, you didn't miss anything.**

 **This is more of a filler chapter, but I have a feeling that a lot of you will be very pleased with it. I'm debating on whether or not I should put a 17+ or 18+ warning at the beginning of certain chapters.**

 **HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY REGINA!**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

 _"You think I'm a killer, Hermione?"_

 _"No," she breathed, bucking against his hand._

 _He grazed his teeth along her neck, causing her heart to speed up._

 _"Yes, you do. You think I'm capable of cold blooded murder," he hissed just before biting into the skin of her neck._

 _Hermione was pushed over the edge and she clenched around his fingers with a vengeance. She panted, chest heaving as he continued to thrust his hand._

 _"Part of you thinks that I'm a murderer…and yet, here you are, riding out your climax on my hand. What does that say about you?"_

 _Hermione's eyes flew open as he withdrew his hand from in between her legs. She hurriedly sat up and watched as he wrapped his lips around his fingers with a smirk. A sinking feeling settled in her gut as his words registered._

 _"Goodnight, Hermione."_

 _She finally closed her legs as the sound of his door closing reached her ears._

* * *

A week later, and Hermione was still shaken up by the events that had taken place in their dorm. Looking back, she knew that it was almost impossible to put into words how she had felt. Although, she was sure that if she were forced to put her feelings into words, she would say that the whole ordeal had made her feel…uneasy. She mentally shook her head. No, uneasy was too weak of a word to use. For once, Hermione could not think of a word to properly describe her feelings. She just knew that dwelling on the incident made her skin crawl.

The two times she and Draco had been together, she normally felt nervous afterwards, which was to be expected. After all, Draco was this overly sexual being who had no qualms about getting what he wanted and, for the moment at least, he seemed to want her. After the second time, she had also felt a bit of disappointment in herself at giving in so easily. She didn't want any more complications and continuing whatever she had going on with Draco was indeed a complication. However, unlike their previous intimate encounters, the occurrence from last week had left a rather… _sour_ taste in her mouth.

Oh, Hermione wished that was the end of it, but it was not. After Draco had retired to his room, leaving her there in a state of fearful confusion, she had found that a sick feeling had suddenly began to twist within her stomach. She had felt lightheaded and had had the sudden urge to just…pass out. For one thing, Draco had not answered her question. She had not realized it at the time, but he had turned the focus back onto her, completely avoiding the simple question that she had asked him.

Worst of all, _his_ eye-opening question had lingered within her mind. He was right. A part of her, no matter how small that part may be, believed that he could have killed Fay. She didn't even question whether or not he was capable of it because she had seen firsthand what he was like when he got caught up in his anger, acting without thinking. A small part of her did believe that he could have done it and yet… She had still opened her legs for him. Draco had known exactly what buttons to push, what itch to scratch. He had played her like a fiddle and she let him. So…what _did_ that say about her?

Upon realizing the implications of said question, she had immediately flushed. Was it from anger? Shame? Did it really matter at this point? For the first time, since the two had hooked up, Draco had made Hermione feel dirty. He had made her feel…sleazy and she didn't like it one bit.

This was what was going through her mind when Ginny found her. Hermione was sitting in the courtyard, so deep in thought that she didn't even notice the much healthier looking redhead coming her way. If she did, she would have most assuredly commented on the color that had come back into Ginny's cheeks or that the younger girl had seemed to put back on most of the weight that she had lost.

"Hermione…?"

Hermione looked up, startled before blinking in recognition.

"Ginny," Hermione acknowledged.

She had not even heard the young Gryffindor approach her. _Stupid Draco_ , she thought.

"Everything alright? I had been standing there for at least thirty seconds before finally deciding to get your attention," Ginny said as she sat down beside her friend.

Hermione covered up her inner turmoil with a smile.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I was just going over some revision in my head."

Ginny nodded, smiling, accepting this answer for her friend's odd behavior.

"Hermione…I came to apologize. I know that I kind of already did at the Halloween Ball, but that was half assed and we both know it," Ginny stated.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. This was the last thing that she had been expecting.

"I shouldn't have treated you the way that I did. You were worried…"

Hermione shook her head, lowering her eyes, picking at something on her skirt.

"Ginny, it's okay. I understand-."

"No, Hermione, it isn't okay," Ginny said.

Hermione lifted her head at this. Ginny looked more than apologetic, maybe even a bit ashamed.

"You were just so worried and you had every right to be. You were right… I loved Harry, more than anything and when he broke up with me I…I went to a _dark_ place. It was incredibly selfish to those around me, but it was the only way I knew how to cope. You felt like you were out of options. You were scared and I can't blame you for that," Ginny whispered.

"Well…thank you and I'm sorry too. You trusted me and I betrayed that trust to the worst person I could possibly tell. If it makes you feel any better, I sort of regret it," Hermione mumbled.

Ginny chuckled.

"I think I put too much faith in Harry. I'm not sure what I thought he was going to do about it," Hermione said with a sigh.

Ginny nodded in agreement, a comfortable silence falling over them. Now that the two of them had officially patched things up, Hermione wanted to tell Ginny everything. She wanted to tell her all about her escapades with Draco and the truth about what had really happened with Blaise, causing the unlikely friendship between her and Lavender. She wanted to tell her about the entire fallout between Ron, Harry, and herself. Hermione had not let herself dwell on it, but the truth was that it hurt.

While separating herself from the two had been the right choice, the healthy choice even, it did not make it an easier nor any less painful. The three of them had been as thick as thieves ever since their first year. Defeating a troll together was bound to have that affect. She loved them, very much so, but she could hardly recognize them sometimes. With a sigh, Hermione supposed that they could probably say the same thing about her. They had all changed, some for the better, and some for the worse. Hermione felt uneasy as she realized she was not sure which end of the spectrum she was on. Still, she had not been able to grieve the end of their friendship properly and she seriously doubted that Draco was going to offer a shoulder to cry on.

Which brought her to the number one thing that she wanted to confide in Ginny. Hermione just needed to know that she wasn't crazy. She had seen Draco at the top of those stairs. She was certain of it…wasn't she? However, that did not explain how he was seen, by several students, come to find out, out on the Quidditch Pitch. She needed to get it off of her chest or she was sure that she would drive herself insane. She wanted to tell Ginny how suspicious she was of him where Fay Dunbar was concerned. She wanted to tell Ginny how disgusting he had made her feel upon forcing her to realize just how far gone she was, or her body was, for him. However, she told Ginny none of this. Not a word. Instead, she simply said:

"You're looking much better."

Ginny flushed, turning her head slightly to the right, away from Hermione.

"Dean and I are…well, we're better than ever, Hermione."

"Ginny, that's great!"

It _was_ great. Hermione was incredibly happy for her friend. She was glad that she was able to find happiness with him. She and Dean had briefly dated during Ginny's fifth year and it had been so… _disastrous_. Of course, they both had been younger at the time, but Hermione was pleased that things seemed to have worked out for the better.

"What about you? I've been out of the loop, but I know that Ron is no longer with Lavender, courtesy of you, I guess. So…did he finally come to his senses?"

Ginny's question stirred something within Hermione, causing her to look away.

"Hermione," Ginny questioned as she rested her hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"No, he didn't. I…I don't really want to discuss it," Hermione said, shaking her head.

Ginny furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, sensing the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Why do I feel like there's something that you're not telling me…?"

Ginny's question came out quiet, as if she was afraid to know the truth herself. Hermione swallowed, turning to face Ginny, a somber expression on her face.

"…because there is something that I'm not telling you," Hermione whispered.

"Well, what is it? Hermione, if something happened…something serious, I…I feel like I should know. I mean, I know that I don't have any right to pry, considering…," Ginny trailed off.

"We're not friends anymore, Ginny. Harry, Ron, and I…we…it's over," she sadly replied.

Ginny's mouth parted in shock before her shoulders sagged. Hermione could tell that Ginny wanted to demand she tell her everything, she could see the confusion and questions swirling around within her eyes. She was worried that Ginny would start bombarding her with questions, but she didn't.

"Are you okay?"

Hermione mentally sighed in relief, thankful.

"No…I'm not," Hermione tearfully whispered.

Ginny pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around her trembling friend.

* * *

Hermione hadn't realized just how much she had been holding in. The dam had broken and she was grateful to finally be able to just let it all out.

"It still doesn't seem real, Ginny. We were friends for _so_ long," Hermione quietly said.

Ginny sat next to her on the couch in her and Draco's dorm, nodding in understanding.

"Never would I have imagined that we would end up here. I mean, we've had our problems, sure, but I always thought that it was normal. I mean, friends fight, it happens. Looking back, I think that I just kept making excuses for Ron…and now Harry too."

"To be perfectly honest, I always had a feeling it would come to this," Ginny added.

Hermione looked at her friend in shock. Had she really? Apparently, the question was all over Hermione's face because Ginny continued.

"You're right, friends do fight. Any normal friendship is going to have its occasional spat. However, the fights that you guys had didn't really strike me as normal. They always played out and ended in the same manner every single time. More often than not, you and Ron would be the ones fighting. Per usual, Harry would end up standing by Ron, even if he didn't fully agree. This would go on until Ron either needed something from you or you were the first one to cave."

Hermione frowned, looking towards the empty fireplace.

"I mean, I had hoped that maybe this was just how you guys fought, you know? I too eventually had to stop making excuses. Even when this would happen while Harry and I were together, I could never get him to see reason. Even when he knew that Ron was in the wrong, he always felt that he had a certain duty to uphold to Ron. Some stupid guy code or something," Ginny scoffed.

How had Hermione not seen? Of course, the obvious answer immediately popped into her head. She had fancied herself in love with Ron. She reckoned that her feelings had allowed her to excuse his behavior time and time again. She had believed that if you loved someone, you loved all of them, flaws and all. She realized now that with Ron it was more than just some easily overlooked flaws.

Their portrait door opening and closing caused the two girls to look up to the right. Draco paused upon seeing the redhead witch beside Hermione, but continued walking nonetheless. He acknowledged both of them with a firm nod, his eyes lingering on Hermione significantly. She blinked in realization when she saw him jerk his head just before heading into his room.

"I wonder who pissed in his cereal this morning," Ginny commented.

Hermione couldn't help but to chuckle.

"He's normally like that. I'll be right back, Gin. I want to change out of these school clothes," Hermione said, standing.

"Okay. I'll be here," Ginny replied just before Hermione closed her room door behind her.

She glanced at the door connecting to their adjoined bathroom before opening it with a small sigh. Draco wasted no time in entering her room.

"Come on in," she sarcastically stated, turning to face him.

"What were the two of you talking about?"

Hermione was taken aback by his demanding and harsh tone. She didn't like it nor the way he was looking at her, waiting for an answer like he was her father or something.

" _Excuse me?_ "

She blinked in surprise when he reached out and ran his thumb down her cheek, smearing her tears against her skin. His hand lingered, trailing his fingers against her skin as he looked down at her. Hermione had not even realized that she had still been crying.

"Oh," she said in realization.

"I know that you two aren't on the best of terms. Did she say something to you," Draco demanded.

Hermione shook her head.

"No, no, of course not. We were just talking about…Ron and Harry," she quietly replied.

Draco scoffed, one hand still resting on the side of her neck.

"Why on earth were you talking about them?"

"Because I needed to talk about them. I needed to…grieve our loss of friendship, Draco. Ginny understands," she responded.

His other hand came up to rest just under her jaw, tilting her head up so that she was looking up into his eyes.

"They don't deserve your tears."

"I know that, Draco, but we've been friends for years. We went through so much together. Hell, we survived a bloody war with one another. It…hurts. I can't help that," she said.

She bit her lip as his eyes ran over her face, one hand sliding up to twist into her hair. She turned her head away as he leaned in, their last encounter still fresh in her mind.

"Draco," she warned.

"For fuck's sake. I didn't kill her, Hermione. Are you happy? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

She didn't appreciate his biting tone and turned to glare at him.

"Why didn't you just say that when I asked you-?"

"Because I shouldn't have had to. The question never should have been brought up," he snapped.

"Well, I'm sorry, okay? You can't exactly _blame_ me. You did nothing to hide how you truly felt about her and then…she's dead and you're at the top of the stairs. Which reminds me, none of this explains how you were seen in two places at once," she said.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Correction, you are the only one who saw me at the top of those stairs," he whispered.

Hermione flung herself away from him.

"I'm not crazy," she harshly whispered.

"I never said that you were. You clearly saw someone else," he reasoned.

Hermione scoffed.

"You have very distinct features, Draco. I know what I saw," she argued.

Draco shrugged, unbothered.

"Well, I don't know what else to tell you. Besides, what does it matter? I didn't kill her. You got the answer you wanted," he said, stepping towards her.

Hermione glanced up at the look in his eyes and found herself taking a step back at the intensity in them. That was her first mistake. She went to back up again when his hand shot out, gripping her waist and yanking her against him. She inhaled at the feel of his hard body pressed against her softer one and she found her heart beating erratically. She swallowed, pressing her hands against his chest.

"Draco, we can't," she breathed.

"Mm hmm," Draco hummed, pressing his lips to her jaw, then her neck.

Hermione felt her eyes flutter close as his teeth grazed against the sensitive skin. She twisted in his grip until her arm was free and she gripped the hand that was on her waist. She gasped when he bit into the skin of her neck, causing her knees to buckle.

"We can't. Ginny is outside…she's waiting for me," Hermione whispered, stumbling as he backed her up into the wall.

She opened her mouth to protest again when her words were swallowed by his own mouth as it descended over hers with a fierceness. Hermione could do nothing but follow as his lips led in that familiar dance he always seemed to do with his tongue. He moaned into her mouth, the vibration spreading all throughout her body.

Hermione panted, her nails digging into his arm as he let her breathe, his lips trailing down to her collarbone. He pulled them away from the wall, his arm supporting her as she leaned back, her chest pointed towards him. One of her hands traveled upwards to run through his hair, her nails grazing his scalp. This was clearly his undoing.

Hermione suddenly found her back against the wall again, one leg resting against his hip, his hand digging into the underside of her thigh. He rubbed himself against her, his lips attached to her neck like a leech. Hermione had to remind herself that Ginny was right outside.

His lips suddenly traveled upwards to just under her ear, the sound of his labored breathing filling her eardrums. His teeth grazed the shell of her ear as he pressed himself more firmly into her.

"I _need_ you, Hermione," he whispered, the husky sound going straight to her core.

"You…you can't be serious," she panted.

"Tell her that you'll be out in five minutes," he commanded, the tone of his voice leaving no room for argument.

Hermione wanted to protest, Merlin knows that she did, but it was hard to remember why in a state like this.

"G-Ginny," she called out.

She heard the girl's affirmation that she had heard her.

"I'll…I'll be out shortly. Just give me…ten more minutes," she said, causing Draco to raise his eyebrows in a mixture of shock and approval.

"Take your time, Hermione," she heard Ginny say.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Draco lift his wand, no doubt casting a silencing charm. She heard it clatter to the ground and soon she felt her skirt being lifted.

"I'll be quick," he promised and she felt him reaching down, no doubt undoing his pants.

Hermione wrapped her arms around him, the anticipation building as she felt him gently pull her underwear to the side. Hermione was positive that this was what she had heard Harry, Ron, and a lot of other girls refer to as a quickie. The term made sense she supposed. She felt him press a lingering kiss to her neck and before she knew it…he was inside of her.

Hermione gasped at the sudden intrusion, despite the fact that she had been expecting it. She briefly wondered to herself if she would ever get used to his size. The fullness she felt was always like the first time, just without the pain. One of his hands was braced on the wall beside her head as he retreated before thrusting inside of her again.

She let out another gasp at the feel of his retreat and reentry, her fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt. His face was buried into her neck and she suddenly felt herself being pulled away from the wall, her back immediately connecting with the floor of her bedroom. The atmosphere seemed to shift as soon as they made it to the floor and Hermione found herself reaching up, gripping his shirt and tearing it open, some buttons popping off.

Unlike her, Draco didn't seem to mind the ruin of his clothes. She dare say that her sudden aggressiveness turned him on even more. She ran her hands down his hard chest, her fingers digging into the skin of his hips. His now open shirt began to slide off of him, showcasing the muscular arms that held himself off of her as he continued to push into her heated core. She threw her head back and lifted her chest as he sped up his pace, a now familiar fire rising in the pit of her stomach.

Draco leaned down, trailing sloppy kisses along her neck and collarbone, harsh pants escaping his lips. She locked her legs around him with an iron grip, as if afraid he was suddenly going to disappear and leave her hanging. His teeth bit at her neck and she felt him reach up, ripping her shirt open before latching his mouth onto her bra clad breast, the sudden mixture of pain and pleasure plummeting straight to her core. He looked up at her from beneath his lashes.

"I put a silencing charm on the room, Hermione," he said, confirming her thoughts from earlier.

The meaning behind his words were clear and Hermione moaned his name as he slammed into her. She lifted her head, her teeth nipping at his neck as she rocked back and forth from the force of his thrusts, her hands tangled into his hair. She felt him shudder and she couldn't help the feeling of pride that shot through her, knowing that she was able to elicit this short of response from him. _The_ great Draco Malfoy was teetering on the edge of control because of _her_.

He suddenly slammed into her with a ferocity that knocked her back onto her back and she let out a surprised, but pleasure filled, small shriek. Hermione was certain that her legs were going to break, but that did not stop her from tightening them around his waist. She reached her hands up under his shirt, digging her nails into his back and trailing them down the sensitive flesh. Draco let out a hiss as he arched his back, the slight pain of such an act sending him over the edge.

He came with a vengeance, sinking his teeth into her neck and Hermione seized underneath him, her body shaking and bucking from the force of her orgasm. He thrust into her a few more times, the two of them riding out the wave together before he collapsed onto her, his teeth still embedded into her neck. Hermione's legs went limp and her chest heaved with short, choppy breaths.

She closed her eyes, thinking to herself that if she died right now, she was sure that she wouldn't care. Draco lifted his head, reaching up to run his fingers down her face. His hair stuck to his forehead, sweat plastered to his skin and she noted that he looked more than satisfied. He dropped his head back down, his lips hovering next to her ear.

"I want you and only you," he whispered, his words eliciting a shudder from her.

"I thought…thought that we already covered that," she breathed, still out of breath.

He exhaled, leaning up to rest on one arm beside her head, his other hand reaching up to brush her wet hair away from her face. His eyes seemed to glow as he stared down at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Yes, we did. However, there's always the possibility of you going elsewhere since we are not…exclusive," he murmured.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What are you saying?"

His eyes snapped back to hers, captivating her with the intensity in them.

"I'm saying that I don't like to share. I want you to have me and only me."

* * *

 **...Let me know what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Happy Belated Holidays! Here's an update...**

 **Keep in mind, this is supposed to be a dark story. It's just more...gradual than my other stories. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

Hermione quieted down her laughter as she glanced at Ginny who was clearly not entertained. Lavender seemed to have picked up on the sudden awkward atmosphere as well because she too let her laughter simmer down to an awkward chuckle. Hermione mentally sighed, having predicted this sort of thing to happen.

She had invited both Lavender and Ginny to her dorm for a girl's night seeing as she felt that it was much needed. She had told Lavender that Ginny was coming, but had 'failed' to tell the redhead about the blonde. Ginny's initial reaction was expected and Hermione had hoped that she would eventually warm up, but Hermione could see her naivety now.

Lavender had done her best to include the younger witch in conversation, but it was futile. Hermione could also see her possible inconsideration. She had thought that by not telling Ginny, it would lessen the harsh reaction she was bound to get. She could see now that maybe it wasn't so smart after all.

Hermione sighed aloud this time before taking Ginny's hand, feeling better when she reluctantly looked up and smiled at her.

"I know that this is…new for all of us, I get it. Ginny and I have repaired our friendship," she turned to face Ginny now "…and I've found an unlikely friend in Lavender…"

Ginny pursed her lips, glancing at the other girl before looking away.

"I just see no reason as to why we all can't be friends," Hermione finished.

Ginny scoffed, pulling her hand away before crossing it over her chest.

"Really? You see no reason? Not even one?"

Ginny's eyes were hard and accusatory as she glanced at Lavender with a raised eyebrow.

"Ginny…," Hermione began.

"No, let her speak. She's clearly harboring some kid of…resentment towards me," Lavender quietly said.

"Ha! That's a laugh. Sorry…just…forgive me if every time I see your face all I can recall is _my_ best friend crying her heart out. I apologize if I can't help but to think about this blonde bimbo here throwing Ron in your face every chance she got," Ginny spat.

"Ron and I weren't together…," Hermione weakly defended.

"…but she knew how you felt. Everyone knew how you felt about Ron and everyone knew that he could be a bit obtuse sometimes. She took advantage of that. I don't see why you felt sorry for her just because Ron showed his true colors. Karma's a bitch, huh?"

"Ginny!"

"I already apologized to Hermione. I don't owe you anything," Lavender harshly replied.

"You're right. You don't owe me anything and I don't want anything from you. I'm glad that you two got over your differences and I'm glad that you were there for Hermione when I couldn't be, but it's going to take a little bit more than some girl's night out for the two of _us_ to ever be friends," Ginny firmly stated.

Hermione sighed, dropping her head into her hands. This was not how she wanted this night to go, not in the slightest.

"Why? I just want to know why," Ginny suddenly said.

Hermione looked up in confusion, frowning at Ginny as the redhead kept her gaze on Lavender. Hermione didn't understand what she was asking, but one look at Lavender's face told Hermione that _she_ understood. Lavender glanced down, rubbing her arm before glancing at Hermione and then to Ginny.

"I…was jealous, okay? I envied Hermione, always had. It just seemed like everything came so easily to her: the friends, the grades, and a best friend who anybody could see was madly in love with her. Not to mention…," she glanced at Hermione "…you're gorgeous. The fact that you didn't see any of this, at least not the way I did, made me…angry…"

Lavender sighed.

"Here was a girl who seemed to have everything and it seemed like you didn't even appreciate any of it. Of course, I was wrong, but when Ron showed the least bit of interest in me…I jumped at the opportunity. I felt that I deserved him more than you did because I could fully appreciate him. I'm sorry," Lavender whispered.

Hermione didn't know how to fully take any of this. She appreciated Lavender's honesty and was glad that she had the full truth.

"I was grateful for everything I had, still am. I loved Ron, or…at least I thought I did. I don't know what gave you that impression of me, but it wasn't the case. Like I said, I fancied myself in love with him, but I was wrong. I think that I was in love with the idea of us more than anything else."

"Well…that's sweet. It still doesn't change the fact that she did you dirty and you two are 'BFFs' now," Ginny mocked.  
"Are you really upset about the fact that I saved her from being mauled by Zabini? Are you seriously angered that that brought us together?"

Lavender's question had flown out of her mouth before Hermione could warn her. Ginny frowned, looking at Lavender before her eyes slowly slid to Hermione, questioning. Lavender quickly glanced between the two before her eyes lit up with realization.

"You didn't tell her…," Lavender quietly stated.

"No…she didn't," Ginny replied just as quietly, hard eyes on Hermione.

"Ginny…"

"Zabini tried to rape you? So one of the rumors _was_ true… Why didn't you tell me?"

Hermione winced at the obvious hurt in Ginny's tone. She swallowed, throat suddenly thick.

"It wasn't exactly something that I wanted to broadcast, Ginny. I felt…stupid. I felt like I had put myself in the position. Not to mention that Draco had warned me about him," Hermione confessed.

She missed the way Lavender and Ginny glanced at each other at her use of his first name. Ginny sighed, scooting closer to Hermione on the bed.

"Hermione that's just stupid. It wasn't your fault and 'Brightest Witch of Her Age' does not translate to 'someone who knows everything'. Even the smartest and wisest people can find themselves in situations that are…far less than pleasant," Ginny said.

Hermione smiled at her just as she turned to face Lavender.

"Well…thank you again for being there for Hermione when I couldn't be. While this definitely earned you a shitload of points in my book, it's still going to take some time for us to ever be friends. You hurt my best friend, and while Hermione may be past it, I'm not," Ginny continued.

"I understand. I'm sure that if I were in your position, I'd feel the same way," Lavender said.

Hermione clapped her hands together.

"Well, now that we're passed that-."

"Let's move on to you and Malfoy," Ginny proposed, interrupting her.

"Yeah, I like that idea," Lavender agreed.

Hermione blinked, taken back by the sudden turn in conversation. They both had turned to face her now, Ginny with her chin rested on her fist and Lavender with her arms crossed.

"Malfoy and I? What about Malfoy?"

"Oh no. Don't backtrack now. You called him Draco earlier," Ginny pointed out, wagging her finger.

Hermione could have slapped herself because of her slipup.

"So? We're getting along better," Hermione said.

It wasn't an entire lie. They _were_ getting along better, minus their last meeting and the fact that she had been avoiding him ever since. They just didn't need to know the details.

"You know, the night of that Slytherin party, she had made him take the couch while I slept in her room and she his," Lavender said, glancing at Ginny.

" _Really?_ He just…slept on the couch because you told him to? No, sorry. That sounds…that sounds like…"

"It sounds like…"

Hermione rolled her eyes, already regretting ever putting these two together.

"What does that sound like to you, Brown?"

"I don't know, Weasley, I just don't know. The word is on the tip of my tongue… It rhymes with sipped…"

"Dipped…"

"Clipped…?"

"Ripped?"

"No. What about skipped?"

"Gripped…?"

Ginny suddenly snapped her fingers.

"Whipped," they both screamed in unison, causing Hermione to roll her eyes, yet again.

"That's the word. It sounds like he's whipped," Ginny said with a broad, cheesy smile.

"Are you two done," Hermione asked in exasperation.

"No! Not until you tell us what's going on," Lavender said.

"Nothing is going on! I told you, we're just getting along," Hermione said with a shrug.

"I don't buy it," Ginny said.

"Me neither," Lavender said with a shake of her head.

"Do you two honestly think that I'm capable of carrying on a gossip worthy affair with _Malfoy_? The two of us may be progressing towards acquaintances who hate each other only 50% of the time now, but I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. I'm sure the feeling is mutual," Hermione lied.

Lavender sighed, suddenly disappointed.

"She may have a point," she reluctantly stated.

Ginny eyed Hermione, clearly unconvinced, but had thankfully decided to let it go.

"Alright. So…about Hogsmeade this weekend…"

* * *

Hermione scribbled along her parchment, doing her best to focus on the task at hand. Class was pretty mundane at the moment, simple lecture, nothing too exciting or…odd. That is, of course, if she ignored the eyes boring holes into her back. While Harry had reluctantly accepted their temporary, possibly permanent, termination of friendship, Ron had not. She wasn't sure if he thought she had just been trying to get a reaction out of him or if she would simply change her mind, but either way, he clearly had not taken her seriously.

In the Great Hall, he had always smiled at her with a wave, the same expectant look on his face. She wasn't cruel, she would politely smile back, but it was obviously forced and she'd always end up sitting at the end of the table with Ginny and Lavender. Every day, he would always have the same crestfallen look on his face once she took her seat.

Maybe he was trying to win her, and her friendship, back. It was definitely possible, but she knew that Harry, no doubt, had discussed this with him. She just didn't understand what was going on through his head and for once, she kind of wanted to. Of course, Ron's gaze was nothing in comparison to Draco's.

Ron simply annoyed her with his constant staring, causing her to huff or roll her eyes. Draco, on the other hand… She rolled her shoulders, swallowing thickly as she felt the heat of his gaze at that very moment. Draco's gaze made her nervous, horny, and fearful all at the same time. He made her fidget in her seat, adjust her hair for the umpteenth time, even made her want to constantly look over her shoulder. She never looked back though, too afraid of what she would see.

Draco was… _very angry_ with her. She had been avoiding him ever since they'd had sex in her room last week, ever since he had practically asked her to be his...'exclusive bedfellow'. Hermione didn't even want to go near the 'G' word. He had told her that he only wanted the two of them to 'be' with each other and she had fled. Not even figuratively. She had scrambled from underneath him, quickly changed her shirt, and all but ran from the room with a quick 'Ginny's waiting for me'.

She couldn't exactly blame him for his anger.

She sighed in relief when they were dismissed, gathering her things and hauling ass. She had made it out of the door and was just about to turn the corridor when she heard her name being called, accompanied by loud and hurried footsteps. Hermione didn't know whether to be grateful or worried that it was Ron instead of Draco. She tried to speed up, but he caught her arm, forcing her to face him.

Staring into Ron's blue eyes, it was hard turn him away. It made her want to say 'Okay, he's had enough. He understands that she was serious', but then she'd remember that this wasn't about him nor for him. It was for her. He had Harry and the two of them were always able to get along just fine without her. She needed to be able to do the same.

"Ron," she said with a sigh.

"I know, I know. I just… How are you?"

Hermione wasn't going to lie, she was definitely thrown off by his question and more than a little skeptical.

"I'm fine, Ron. Look, I really have to go-."

He placed his hands out, pleadingly.

"I just want five minutes…"

"Ron…no," she finally said, having considered to do so, but then thought better of it.

Ron frowned, wringing his hands together.

"Hermione, just five-."

"Come off it, Weasley. Everybody knows about your falling out. The lady said no," McLaggen interrupted, stepping into the corridor, looking as put together as ever.

Ron looked between the two of them, eyebrows furrowed, his mind clearly running rampant with the possibilities. Hermione was confused by his sudden appearance, but grateful nonetheless.

"Now, if you'll excuse us," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her away.

Hermione didn't dare look back at Ron, too afraid to see his face, or even comment on McLaggen's comfortable nature with her.

"Thank you," she said in relief.

"I try to be a white knight when I can…," he gloated with a shrug.

She pulled away from him, finding no reason to keep up the pretense of them actually having somewhere to be together.

"Actually, I really did want to talk to you about something," he said, turning to face her.

"Oh?"

"Hogsmeade is this weekend…," he began with a dazzling smile.

Hermione sighed with a small grimace. She, Lavender, and Ginny had already decided to go together and even if that wasn't the case, she wasn't sure she'd be too comfortable saying yes. McLaggen was great looking and even though he could be a bit arrogant at times, he was still extremely charismatic. There was, however, just one little complication… _Speak of the devil_ , she thought.

"Sorry, but Lavender, Ginny, and I have already decided to go together," Hermione sweetly replied.

McLaggen nodded, shoving his hands into his pocket.

"Girl's day. That should be fun. Well, thanks for hearing me out, anyway. Maybe next time…," he let the implication hang in the air.

"Yeah, maybe. I have to go," she said, distracted before walking past him.

She had hoped to escape unnoticed, but she had already known that that was highly unlikely.

"Granger…"

"Nott. I'm glad to see that you're back," she said.

Draco was next to him, his icy gaze focused on nothing but her and Hermione had to force herself to keep her gaze on nothing but Nott.

"Yeah, I've been back for a minute now actually. You and McLaggen a thing now, huh," he joked.

"Ugh, no. Not even remotely. He was just asking me something," she said, sparing them the details for obvious reasons.

Nott nodded, glancing at his uncharacteristically quiet friend while said friend simply glared at her. She swallowed, glancing up at him, his piercing gaze sending a chill through her.

"Hermione-."

"I should go. I have a lot of studying to do," she hurriedly said before breezing past them.

She felt Draco's gaze all the way down the corridor until she turned the corner.

* * *

Hermione sighed as she gazed at the Shrieking Shack. Lavender and Ginny had been looking at dresses when she left them with the excuse of going to the bookstore. She was aware of how both of them felt about the place and knew that they would not be inclined to tag along just yet. She smiled to herself as she thought about how she'd left them, arguing about whether or not blue was Ginny's color. For someone who claimed that they wouldn't be friend any time soon, Ginny got along with the blonde witch rather well.

She was glad that they were getting along.

Hermione wasn't sure what possessed her to come out here. She had every intention of going to Tomes and Scrolls. She had wanted to just be alone for a minute, but had thought that maybe this was a better place for that. She really needed to think, not just about what Draco had said, but what it had made her…feel. The thought of her and Draco being exclusive, made her feel some kind of way. It wasn't a bad feeling, she could acknowledge that, but that good feeling was what scared her.

She tilted her head as she heard footsteps behind her, before looking over her shoulder. She should not have been surprised to see him behind her. She slowly turned around as he stepped towards her, his eyes almost matching the snow on the ground.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

Hermione opened her mouth to protest before she thought better of it and snapped it shut. She _had_ been avoiding him. There really was no point in denying that fact. He took a step towards her as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Was it because of what I said?"

Hermione scoffed, letting out a humorless chuckle, before looking at him in exasperation.

"What do you think, Draco?"

"I'm thinking about how funny this situation is. Society's standards dictate that _I_ should be the one running for the hills when the words 'exclusive' and 'relationship' are put into the same sentence, not you," he joked, although his face was entirely serious.

"Draco, do you even have any idea as to what you asked me?"

"Yes, I do. What is the problem?"

His question came out harsh, filled with frustration as he took another step towards her.

"Do you even know what you're saying? Draco, commitment is not a word I would associate with you. You've never had a relationship in your life. The closest possible thing would be what you and Parkinson shared and I'm only mentioning that because you kept running back to her. I'm actually positive that that doesn't even technically count," Hermione said.

Draco scoffed, crossing his arms as well.

"I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend or something. I just…there's no one else that I'm interested in sleeping with. I had thought that the same went for you…or was I wrong?"

He was directly in front of her now, looking down at her from beneath his lashes, jaw clenched.

"Are you interested in shagging anyone else? McLaggen, for example?"

She didn't appreciate his tone and she put her hand on his chest, gently shoving him away.

"Oh, give me a break. You know that I don't want to sleep with anyone else, but that's beside the point. _This_ …this is just asking for feelings to get involved," she said.

"So?"

Hermione blinked, taken by surprise at his reply. So? She swallowed, forcing her heart to slow as she registered the implications behind that one word. She slowly shook her head.

"So? Are…are you saying that…that you wouldn't care if something more came out of this?"

There was no calming her heart now. Draco held her gaze, silver and brown clashing. Draco blinked as he seemed to finally register what he'd said before stepping towards her again.

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying…"

Hermione's eyes widened and she took a step back, shaking her head.

"…no," she whispered.

" _No?_ "

Hermione took another step back at his change in tone of voice, swallowing.

"No. Look, I trust you not to tell anyone about us. I trust you not to intentionally hurt me and I trust that you would keep me safe from harm, but…I don't… I can't…," she trailed off, the words failing her.

"You don't trust me with your heart," he finished, a bitter tone seeping into his voice.

She looked up at him, eyes solemn.

"No, I don't."

She gasped in shock when he grabbed her arm, pulling her up against him. His other hand came up to run through her curls, his eyes darting over her face at a rapid pace.

"Hermione…I _need_ you," he said between clenched teeth, as if the words physically pained him to say.

"Draco," she said, twisting within his grip.

"I won't hurt you. I promise. You have to believe me…"

She snatched herself out of his grip, stumbling back.

"Draco…if _this_ is where this… _thing_ is headed, then it's over. It was only supposed to be a one-time thing, anyway. Now you're talking about feelings and my heart? We're done," she said.

"If I say I can do this, then I can do this," he spat, stepping into her personal space again.

"That's not enough for me. I'm sorry, but protecting my feelings comes before you," she responded, stepping past him.

She swallowed as he blocked her way, his frame appearing much taller. She looked up at him, shrinking under his withering gaze.

"You want this. You want this just as much as I do. You're just scared…"

"Yes! I am scared. I will admit that and you know what? Fear has kept many people safe in history. I'm not going down this road with you. Find another girl," she whispered.

She had finally gotten past him when he grabbed her arm, spinning her around and into his arms. His eyes were wild.

"Don't you get it? There _is_ no other girl! I don't know what it is about you…"

"Draco, let go of me-."

Her words were swallowed by his kiss, his lips moving expertly against hers. He was right. She did want to entertain the idea of them being an item, official. However, he had also been right in telling her that she was scared, a coward, and that she was. She didn't know what it was about Draco either, but everything about him just called to her. He had the ability to make her knees weak with just one look. However, none of this negated the fact that she was afraid that this was only going to end in one way; heartbreak.

She pulled away from him, turning her head and shuddering when his teeth grazed her neck.

"Draco," she warned.

He looked up at her, the snow reflecting off of his eyes, making them appear much lighter.

"You're all I think about, Hermione. When I'm in class, on the Quidditch field…"

Hermione's eyes widened as she realized, with a fright, that it wasn't a reflection of the snow. It was his eyes! His eyes _were_ lighter, almost glowing as they gazed at her. She yanked on her arm, almost flailing in his hold now.

"I want to be around you every second of the day. I need to be near you, kiss you, touch you… Merlin, I love being inside of you," he whispered, his lips grazing her cheek now.

"Let go," she snapped, almost screamed.

"I've done things, terrible things, just to keep you near me…"

She unzipped her jacket, sliding out of it before taking off. She heard him growl in frustration as she sprinted, her hair flying behind her.

" _Hermione!_ "

Just his voice alone called to her, tempting her to turn around and run back into his arms, but she couldn't. The memory of his wild glowing eyes, and what they meant, kept her going.

* * *

 **Let's play the guessing game!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

Hermione's legs were aching by the time she made it back to Hogwarts. She hadn't stopped, hadn't slowed down for even a second, too afraid that Draco was right behind her. She was sure that her hair looked like a windblown mess and her breathing was labored from the abnormal strain on her body. Their alarming conversation was on repeat within her mind, refusing to let her forget. His behavior, and every word he had spoken, had thrown her into a fit of conflicting feelings.

While everything that he had said did alarm her, she also couldn't deny that a small part of her could relate. There were times when she found her thoughts drifting to the young Malfoy and remaining there for an absurd amount of time. There were times when her mind would flit to…less than appropriate thoughts about him during class and she would find herself just a bit more than uncomfortable. It wasn't something that would last for ten minutes at the most, but sometimes the entire class period, sometimes hours. It would sneak up on her before she would even realize what she had been doing. She had thought that that was normal, for her at least. This was new to her, it was new and exciting, and so it would make sense that she'd be preoccupied with the glamor of it all.

Draco, on the other hand…Draco had more than enough experience to go around, so she didn't understand where this was coming from. She didn't understand where any of this was coming from! This was only supposed to be a one-time thing, an experiment of sorts. She wasn't supposed to be developing feelings, neither one of them were. Never in her wildest imagination did she ever dream up that Draco Malfoy would practically be begging her to start a relationship with him. It just didn't make any sense. A lot of things weren't making sense…

She tried her best not to dwell on the mystery surrounding his eyes. She desperately wanted to convince herself that it was a trick of the sunlight, reflection from the snow, or even just her own mind playing tricks on her. She kept telling herself these things over and over again, but it was futile. She saw what she saw. Now she just had to explain it. That, however, she could do later. At this very moment, her only concern was-.

Hermione gasped in shock as she literally ran into Ginny, Lavender right behind her, as Hermione entered the corridor at an alarming pace.

"Hermione," Lavender acknowledged in surprise.

Ginny finally got over her shock before placing her hands onto her hips with a scoff.

"…and just where were you? We went to Tomes and Scrolls and you weren't even there. We searched everywhere for you," Ginny exclaimed.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She knew that if she told them where she really was, then they would ask more questions and Hermione knew that at this moment, she would not be able to lie.

"Well," Ginny pressed.

"Weasley," Lavender softly said, gesturing to Hermione as the blonde girl _really_ got a look at her friend.

Ginny blinked in realization as her face softened, taking a step forward.

"Hermione, what's wrong? What happened?"

Hermione blinked, thrown by the sudden change in behavior.

"What? What do you mean?"

"You're crying," Ginny pointed out.

Hermione reached her hand up to touch her face and realized that she indeed was crying. She brushed her fingers over her cheeks with a shake of her head.

"Oh…that's- it's nothing. Uh…can I stay with you in your dorm tonight?"

Ginny glanced at Lavender, a worried expression on her face before answering.

"Of course. You know that you're always welcome. Why…why don't you want to sleep in the Head's dorm?"

Hermione closed her eyes, having hoped that Ginny would not ask that. She should have known better…

"Hermione? Why don't you want to stay in your dorm? Does this have to do with Malfoy?"

Hermione eyes shot open at Lavender's question with a shake of her head.

"No. It has nothing-."

"You're lying. What did he do? I'll curse him myself, Hermione," Ginny hissed.

"This isn't about Malfoy," Hermione reassured.

"Yes, it is. I can see it…what- where's your coat?"

Hermione looked down in shock, having forgotten that she had sacrificed her coat in order to get away from Draco. She blinked, shaking the memories away with a shake of her head, opening her mouth to answer when Lavender spoke.

"Hermione…your neck. What happened to your neck?"

Hermione reached up and felt a small, almost nonexistent, smudge of something sticky. Ginny rushed over, forcing Hermione's hand away to get a better look.

"It's a cut, a small one actually. Practically just a nick…," she mused.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed as she frowned in confusion. Maybe she'd done it while running? She didn't recall running past any trees or anything with branches. Just as she was about to tell Ginny that she was just as clueless as she, her eyes widened. Her mouth parted in shock as she recalled the feel of Draco's teeth grazing the skin in her neck.

"Hermione?"

Lavender could clearly see the horror and confusion on Hermione's face if the worry in her voice was any indication. Hermione felt her heart freeze and she frantically shook her head, letting out a shaky breath.

"We need to go by my dorm…I-I need to get some things," she forced out.

"You said just one night. Why do you need any clothes or anything?"

Ginny's question came out accusatory and Hermione looked up at her with pleading eyes.

"Hermione, what is going on? This has something to do with Malfoy, I just know it."

She and Hermione stared at one another, Ginny's expression hard and Hermione's guarded. Hermione sighed…

"I need to get some things from my dorm. Are you coming with me or not?"

Ginny huffed, crossing her arms over her chest before rolling her eyes with a shake of her head.

"Fine."

* * *

"Hermione, you've been sleeping in the girl's dormitories for four days now. Something clearly happened…"

Hermione had been hearing this for the past three days and had still yet to give Ginny or Lavender a proper explanation. The only time she had ever caught sight of Draco was in class and every time it wasn't a pretty sight. He progressively looked angrier and angrier, to the point where his normal posse didn't even want to be near him, save for Parkinson and Nott.

However, Parkinson wasn't so much as sticking around as she was sticking to him like glue. It was obvious that she was doing her best to take advantage of Draco's momentary uncharacteristic behavior. She always hung onto him, touching him as much as she possibly could, even going as far to fix his food for him during meal time. At least, that last part, was what she'd heard from Lavender.

While it was obvious that Draco wasn't giving her the time of day, doing nothing to encourage her, it was also obvious that he did nothing to physically deter her either. Hermione used the term physically because the looks he gave Parkinson said it all. Of course, everyone knew how she operated, Draco included, and he knew that he would forcefully have to get it through her head. So in Hermione's eyes, his lack of reaction was all the encouragement that Parkinson needed.

On some level, Hermione acknowledged that she had no right to be jealous. _She_ had turned _him_ away. He had offered her what any girl in this bloody school what dream of and she had said no. Sometimes, it was hard to remember why she had even said no in the first place. Of course, then she would remember the intensity behind his words that day, his aggression, and the odd occurrence with his eyes. It would make her hairs stand on end all over again and she'd shudder from the memory.

She sighed.

"Ginny…"

"Just tell me the truth. Does it have to do with Malfoy?"

Hermione closed her eyes and reluctantly nodded. She heard Ginny huff and Hermione opened her eyes to see the other girl shaking her head.

"I knew it!"

"It's not… He didn't do anything, okay? It's extremely complicated," Hermione assured.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No. No, of course not," Hermione said, shaking her head.

Ginny sighed, opening her mouth to speak when she was interrupted.

"Granger," an approaching voice called.

They both turned around to face Nott as he approached them, a troubled expression on his handsome face. Hermione stood from her place on the steps as he stopped in front of her, blue eyes boring into her own.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Hermione frowned in a mixture of confusion and skepticism before glancing at Ginny. Ginny threw her a shrug, letting her know that she was just as in the dark about what this could be about. Hermione reluctantly nodded, following Nott as he stepped away from Ginny, still leaving the redhead in view of them.

"What is it," Hermione asked.

"It's about Draco…," he began.

Hermione swallowed, glancing away as her heart skipped a beat within her chest at the mere mention of him.

"He wants to talk to you… Although, I'm not sure why he can't just talk to you himself," he complained.

"I don't want to talk to him. Not now, anyway," she added with a shake of her head.

Nott narrowed his eyes at her, shoving his hands into his pocket as he assessed her.

"My best friend has been on edge and an all-around pain in the ass for days now. The smallest thing sets him off and yesterday, I was legitimately convinced he was going to kill me. You want to tell me what all of this is about?"

This was news to Hermione. She'd noticed his sour mood, but did not think it to be that bad. She felt her heart sink and her shoulders sag as she took in this information. She finally shook her head at Nott.

"So you're just not going to tell me? You're going to pretend that nothing's going on?

"Why? What do you know," she demanded.

"More now than I did three seconds ago," he said with a smirk.

She huffed, realizing that she had revealed more than she wanted to.

"Look, just tell him to give me some time and then I'll talk to him. I promise. I just…I need to…figure some things out first," she reluctantly said, absentmindedly reaching up to brush her finger against her neck.

Nott sighed, before grudgingly nodding, seemingly satisfied with her answer for the moment. Ginny was by Hermione's side as soon as Nott walked away.

"Let me guess… That was about Malfoy and you're not going to tell me, are you?"

Hermione gave her friend a small tightlipped smile before patting her shoulder and turning around.

"Sorry, Gin."

* * *

Hermione found herself in the library a day later, surrounded by a pile of books. She had told Nott the truth. She was going to talk with Draco as soon as she figured this out. Whenever she was faced with the dilemma of the unknown, she did something about. She did her research to make it not so unknown to her anymore. _Yeah, that's exactly how we ended up here_ , she scathingly thought to herself with a sigh.

Something was going on with Draco. Something that was…out of the ordinary, that much was obvious. She had long accepted the truth in this, the truth in what she'd seen. Sadly, the only thing she really had to go on was the slight glow of his eyes. That told her absolutely nothing. For all that told her, he could be a bloody werewolf, something that was highly unlikely.

Professor Lupin had only been her teacher for less than a year when she had figured out the truth behind his secret. Draco on the other hand, well, she lived with him. She was positive that if Draco was howling at the moon once a month, she would notice. She shook her head, still in disbelief that she was actually sitting here, trying to figure out if Draco was something of the…extraordinary. It was…preposterous, and yet…it was their reality.

She glanced around at the books strewn around her, glaring at each and every one of them as they offered no source of help or insight. Her eyes ran over the bookshelf next to her, trying to find something, anything when a particular familiar book caught her eye. She blinked, eyes widening when she was pulled from her thoughts.

"Don't you ever get tired of studying, Granger?"

Hermione looked up and rolled her eyes with a small smile, shaking her head. She really wasn't in the mood to put up with him at the moment, but she figured that he was doing no harm.

"I mean, I know that you aren't like us normal students, but at least pretend to be human…?"

"What do you want, McLaggen?"

He rested the palms of his hands on the table, looking down at her with a small smile.

"You looked incredibly defeated. I thought that I should come over and add some sparkle to your day," he joked.

"I appreciate that…really, I do. I just…right now isn't exactly a good time," she said with a grimace.

He nodded.

"Okay, well, I'll be quick. Remember when I mentioned our next Hogsmeade trip…?"

"Cormac…I…I just don't think that's a good idea. You and me, I mean," she said.

She felt bad as she watched his face fall, disappointment seeping into his features.

"Oh. Are you uh…are you with someone? I know that before Zabini got expelled, you and him were kind of hanging out. I had just assumed…," he trailed off.

Hermione took in his solemn expression, realizing, with mild surprise, that Cormac was genuinely interested in spending time with her. He wasn't so bad, everyone had flaws, but… _Draco_ , she thought. Hermione sighed as she thought about her lover…former lover-whatever. The point was that…there was just something about Draco, and despite what was going on at the moment, she knew that even entertaining anything with anyone else would just feel like a betrayal.

"It's complicated," she quietly responded.

She saw him slowly nod and she looked down at the sight of his crestfallen expression. He suddenly straightened up, a grin breaking out over his face.

"Well, when it's not so complicated, let me know…," he said, walking away with a wave.

Hermione didn't say so, but she had a feeling that that day would never come. She hurriedly put her books away with a wave of her newly fixed wand. It felt good to have her wand back within her grasp, she felt so incomplete without it. It had been weeks before she was finally able to get hers properly fixed after Blaise had stepped on it, rendering her practically helpless for the last couple of weeks.

She slowly made her way out of the library and was shocked with the sight that greeted her. Parkinson and Draco were right outside of the library and Hermione had just exited in time to see Draco literally pry the girl off of him, shoving her away. Pansy harshly landed on her back, a wide eyed expression on her face as she looked up at Draco with a hint of fear for probably the first time in her life.

Draco didn't say a word, instead glaring down at the dark haired girl with a look so intense, Hermione took a step back. It was at this moment that Draco became aware of her presence, or maybe he was already aware, as his head swiveled around and his eyes zeroed in on her. Their eyes met, his softening as she felt her resolve do the same.

She wanted to run to him, forgetting everything she'd said and tell him that yes, she wanted to dive right in. She couldn't though. There were too many unanswered questions between them and quite frankly, his intensity scared her. The intensity of his feelings scared her and the intensity of hers around him scared her as well.

Parkinson followed his line of sight and Hermione glanced at her just as she narrowed her eyes at Hermione. The other witch suddenly pushed herself onto her feet, making her way towards Hermione when Draco grabbed her arm, yanking her away and shoving her against the wall.

"You will not touch her," she heard him snarl.

Hermione took this opportunity to slip away, heart pounding as she did so. She could feel his eyes on her, calling her back, but she forced herself to keep walking, trying to force the terrifying picture of his deadly gaze on Parkinson out of her mind.

* * *

 _Hermione._

 _._

Hermione rolled over, careful not to wake Ginny as she fought to sink back into her deep slumber.

.

 _Hermione…_

 _._

She groaned, grabbing her pillow and placing it over her head, squeezing her eyes shut, fighting to ignore the slight pressure in her head.

.

 _Hermione…please…_

 _._

 _Hermione._

 _._

 _Hermione._

 _._

 _Hermione._

 _._

 _I need you…_

Hermione hurriedly sat up as the words echoed inside of her head. The room was dark and suffocating as she looked around, spotting no one. Her body vibrated with tension and she swallowed, quickly throwing the covers off of her and exiting the dorm, careful not to wake the other girls. Hermione wasn't sure where she was going, but before she knew it, she had found herself exiting the Gryffindor common room and making her way down the dark corridor.

Surprisingly, the darkness didn't frighten her at all. Instead, it was the feeling of complete dread, confusion, and anger that scared her. A combination of emotions that confused her deeply. Her feet seemed to be leading her somewhere only they had directions to, her mind going a mile a minute as she acknowledged how mental this was.

The corridors were freezing and her bare feet did not help her situation. Neither did the oversized t-shirt that she had on. Her heart pounded erratically within her chest, speeding up as she neared the seventh floor, the silence making her uneasy. It wasn't a normal silence, it was like all of the noise in the world had stopped, leaving only her and her short, choppy breaths. As she rounded the corner, she let out a soft gasp at the dark silhouette of a figure standing there. She knew who it was, even without seeing his face. She could feel him…

"Draco," she called.

He turned around, his silver eyes almost glowing in the darkness as he gazed at her. She walked towards him, noting that his eyes were not actually glowing this time. He wore a hard expression on his face, one that got more frightening the closer she got.

"Draco, what are you doing?"

Her voice was quiet with composure, doing her best to figure out what was going on. Why was he here? Why was _she_ here? She glanced down, stopping short at the sight of the still figure at his feet. She dropped to the floor beside the figure, inhaling sharply as she recognized Cormac McLaggen.

Hermione opened her mouth in shock, hands hovering over him, not sure what to do. She turned around, looking up at Draco.

"What did you do," she cried.

"Is this why you turned me away? Was it because of him?"

He spat the question out through clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists beside him. Bloody fists, she noted with horror.

"Wha-no! Draco…wh-why? Oh, Merlin," she gasped as she turned back around.

She pressed her ear to his chest, relieved to hear a heartbeat. A faint one, but it was there nonetheless. She was suddenly yanked up by her arm and forcibly spun around. His eyes were wild as he glared down at her.

"Am I not good enough for you? Is that it?"

Hermione eye's widened, expression softening.

"No, of course that isn't it. I-."

"Then what is it? What's the problem? Why are you rejecting me?"

"Draco…look," she exclaimed, gesturing to McLaggen.

Draco flinched, as if he had forgotten all about what he had done before he shrugged.

"He's still alive. It's nothing…"

"In comparison to what? Fay?"

Draco said nothing and Hermione felt nauseous.

"The other day, you'd said that you had done terrible things to keep me by your side… Were you referring to Fay," she quietly asked.

Draco looked down and she used her free hand to place it on his cheek, lifting his head.

"Draco…what did you do?"

Just then they heard a noise down the corridor, a teacher calling out. Before Hermione could say anything, Draco's hand was covering her mouth and she was being whisked away. He dragged her down the next corridor just as the light from the tip of a wand came into view.

Draco pressed his back into the wall, pressing her back against his chest with one strong arm wrapped around her, the other hand over her mouth. She couldn't recognize the teacher's voice, but heard them let out an exclamation of surprise, no doubt about McLaggen.

Hermione was relieved and felt a little bit better, knowing that someone had found him. They were more than likely taking him to the infirmary and Hermione was grateful. As the light began to fade, she felt Draco's arm tighten around her, his lips pressed to the side of her neck.

"I'm sorry," he choked out.

She didn't know what he was apologizing for. McLaggen? The incident from a few days ago? Fay, maybe? She reached up as best as she could, brushing her fingers along his arm.

"I don't know…I don't know what's happening to me."

Hermione had a hunch and even though the chances were slim, she still had a dreaded feeling that her instincts were leading her in the right direction. If she was right, then this was going to affect her too. His hand dropped from her mouth, his now free arm tightening around her as well and in that moment, she had never felt so safe and scared at the same time.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

**OMG, an update! I didn't realize that I hadn't updated this fic in two months. It didn't seem like that long and I'm sorry. Scout's honor, this will never happen again!**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

Getting the both of them back to their dorm in a timely fashion without being seen was a feat in itself. Draco didn't want to let go of her for a second and it had taken her some time to convince him that the two of them walking back, wrapped around each other, was not going to be efficient.

The both of them had been silent on the way back, Draco seemingly in a trance and she with her mind a million miles away. She hoped that McLaggen was okay. It was dark and she didn't get a good look at him, but she _had_ seen the blood on Draco's fists. There were so many thoughts running through her head about what was going on with Draco, one thought screaming louder than the rest. However, that would have to take a backburner for the moment.

Hermione quietly said the password, pulling Draco inside when the portrait swung open. She turned around to fully face him, never letting go of his hand, as she began to back up towards the couch. She sank down into the cushion, pulling him down with her, before she pulled her legs up onto the couch, turning to face him. When she spoke, her voice was quiet, breaking the uneasy silence that filled the room.

"You want to tell me what happened?"

She watched as Draco's jaw ticked before he threw himself back into the seat like a petulant child.

"No."

Hermione frowned, irritation rising.

" _No?_ Draco…McLaggen is in the infirmary. At least…I think so, I hope so, and he's there because of you-."

"Do you want to fuck him?"

Hermione blanched, so thrown off by the question that it took her longer than usual to process it. He couldn't be serious… Draco, however, stared at her through piercing eyes, letting her know that he was, in fact, very serious.

"No! Merlin, Draco, you know that I don't want McLaggen," she almost screamed.

"Do I? Do I really, Hermione? Am I just supposed to magically know? You've been avoiding me! You've been hiding from me like a fucking coward-."

"Don't act like you don't know why!"

By this point they both were standing, eyes boring into one another. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, taking a deep breath.

"I want you… Are you satisfied now?"

Draco simply stared at her and she stared back as she confessed what they both had known for a while.

"I only want you, you know that, but…"

"…but," Draco urged.

"I don't think that I can give you what you want. At least, not right now. We were never even supposed to end up here, Draco. This is not what this is supposed to be."

"But this is what it is. Why can't you just move past that? Just let yourself feel for once! Why do you always have to analyze _everything_? Why must everything always be a process with you?"

"Because that's who I am! I don't jump head first into anything without thinking it through."

Draco simply glared at her and she glared back.

"Even if I wanted to start some sort of relationship with you…"

"You do."

"…there are too many unanswered questions between us," she finished, harshly staring him down.

Draco swallowed as she took a step forward, knowing exactly what she was hinting at.

"You told me that you had done awful things to keep me near you. Were you talking about Fay?"

Draco shoved his hands into his pockets, resembling a little boy.

"I don't want to talk about Fay, Hermione. I'm tired of talking about Fay…"

Hermione wanted to argue, determined to get the truth, but she opted out of it. She could hear the exhaustion and frustration within his voice. She knew that pressing the issue would get them nowhere. So, she decided to choose her battles wisely and silently pledged to talk about it later, when he had calmed down.

"Fine, then tell me what happened tonight," she proposed.

Draco was silent, eyes avoiding hers, instead they were downcast towards the floor.

"Fine," Hermione sighed, moving to leave their dorm.

When Draco decided that he wanted to talk, he knew where to find her.

"I was restless," he began, reaching out and wrapping his hand around her arm.

She turned to look at him just as he lifted his eyes towards her.

"…I…I couldn't sleep. I haven't really been able to since you left the dorm…," he confessed.

He sighed, falling back onto the couch, pulling her down with him.

"I was walking around the castle. I wasn't doing anything more than trying to clear my head, trying to get you off of my mind. I was on the seventh floor…when I saw him…"

She watched as his eyes grew hard, probably remembering the scene as if he were there right now.

"…my mind had conjured up all sorts of scenarios, situations involving you and him, and so I just…snapped."

Hermione swallowed, watching him.

"Before I realized it, you're there and my hands are aching," he explained.

She squeezed his hand, looking down at the bruised knuckles.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me," he suddenly whispered.

Hermione didn't respond, for she didn't know how to respond. All this time, she had thought that it was just her who had been having these feelings, these urges. She wasn't sure how to feel knowing that he was experiencing them too, and at an even worse rate than she.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the feel of his lips trailing over the skin of her neck. She went to put her hand on his chest, attempting to push him away, but his hand locked around her own with an iron grip.

"Draco…," she started.

He ignored her, his other hand ghosting over her exposed thigh.

"I don't think that this is a good idea," she breathed, eyelashes fluttering as he sucked on her pulse.

"That's never stopped us before," was his simple reply.

Hermione grabbed his other hand as it traveled up her thigh, but he simply shoved her arm away, returning to his original task.

"I know that, but I think that now it's a _really_ bad idea," she protested.

"Then stop me," he challenged, looking up at her from beneath his lashes.

Hermione's throat tightened and she opened her mouth, but no words came out. Draco smirked, reaching up and tearing her shirt straight down the middle. He moved one of her legs so that each one was now on either side of him and Hermione's heart raced as he pushed her onto her back.

Hermione closed her eyes, welcoming the feel of his teeth on her skin. She knew that this was a way of avoiding whatever it was that was on Draco's mind, and hers as well, but she didn't care at the moment. She could never lie to herself and say that she didn't miss the feel of his hands on her.

She wrapped her legs around his waist just as he pinned her wrists to the couch…

* * *

"I told you that I needed time, Draco. Time to figure some things out," she whispered into the dark room.

She heard him take a deep breath, his bare chest slowly rising and falling beneath her head. She couldn't remember when they had moved into his bedroom. His fingers trailed patterns over her bare back, his other hand playing with her hair.

"Was I expected to just let you talk yourself out of this? Was I just supposed to _let_ you walk away?"

"That is not what I was going to do…"

It wasn't what she was going to do. She enjoyed being around Draco, with him… She would never just walk away like that. She had just wanted time to get to the bottom of what was going on without any… _distractions_. She swallowed.

"Something…something is happening to you, to us… You don't want to find out what it is?"

"No, I don't. It doesn't matter," he immediately replied.

She rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him. She knew that he was lying. She could see it in his eyes; Draco was scared. He didn't have any clue as to what was happening to him and that worried him. She decided not to make a comment on that.

"It does to me. What happened with McLaggen, I think that it was partially because of what's happening to you."

He didn't respond, simply stared at the ceiling.

"I also suspect that us shagging every chance we get isn't helping…"

Draco sighed and she knew that he knew exactly what she was referring to. Even now, the thought of leaving at the moment struck something within her. It was even stronger than the last time, when he had asked for the two of them to be exclusive.

He reached up, running his fingers through her hair.

"Once a week…at least, give me that," he said.

Hermione bit her lip, before eventually nodding, concluding that this was reasonable.

"Okay…"

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her up so that his lips could meet hers.

"You won't leave again, will you?"

"No," she murmured against his lips.

"I'm going to hold you to that," he chuckled just before flipping them over.

* * *

An insistent pounding was what woke Hermione from her slumber the next morning. At first, she had thought that it was simply conjured up from her imagination, but when Draco had groaned, mumbling for her to just ignore them, she realized that there was indeed someone knocking at the portrait.

With a struggle, she was able to detangle herself from Draco's grasp. Finding something to put on was the next order of business and she was relieved to find Draco's shirt on the floor. It had fared much better than hers had the night before, something that was becoming quite common. She paused at the door, looking back at him and ignoring the feeling of panic in her chest before stepping out.

No sooner had she opened the portrait door, did Ginny come barging inside.

"I figured that you had to be here, but a warning or a simple note would have sufficed Hermione," the redhead started, brushing past her.

Hermione sighed, closing the door and running her hands down her face. It was far too early for a lecture and she'd had one hell of a long night.

"I woke up in the middle of the night and you were _gone_. I thought that I had been dreaming or something, after all, I was half asleep, so I laid back down. However, upon waking up this morning before dawn, I realized that I, in fact, had not been dreaming."

"I'm sorry, Gin. I just…I wasn't sleeping well. I figured that maybe sleeping in my own bed would help."

Ginny shook her head, red hair flying, before she spun around to face Hermione.

"…and did it-."

The younger witch cut herself off as she stared at Hermione.

"I appreciate the concern, it's flattering, really, but-."

"Did you fall into bed with a fucking vampire last night?"

Hermione frowned in confusion, thrown off. Before she could utter a word, Ginny had reached out, running her fingers over Hermione's neck and collar bone. Hermione winced at the tenderness, and her eyes widened as she realized what Ginny was talking about.

"Ginny…"

Ginny's eyes ran over her friend and her mouth fell open.

"Holy!"

Hermione glanced down to where Draco's shirt stopped mid-thigh and noticed the red fingerprints on her legs.

"I think that a _rough_ night would be a bit of an understatement," Ginny finally said.

"Ginny, please…not now. It's early and…"

"…and I take it you're exhausted, right?"

Hermione threw her a look. Ginny held her hands up.

"Simply taking a wild guess. So…who was it?"

Hermione was going to tell her that they would discuss this later, giving Hermione ample time to come up with something, when Draco's room door opened.

"Sweetheart, I told you-."

He stopped short at the sight of Ginny, eyebrows raising, before he leaned against the doorjamb. His sheepish expression slowly transformed into a smirk.

"…oops."

Hermione glared at him in disbelief as Ginny turned back to look at her, wide-eyed. _That unimaginable_ …

"Hermione?"

Hermione simply glared at Draco, and Ginny could tell that a fight was on the horizon.

"Right…well, we have much to discuss later, I see," Ginny sharply said before slowly walking out of the door, still looking over her shoulder in disbelief as she went.

Even as the door shut, Hermione continued to glare up at him. He met her gaze with an even one of his own before crossing his arms over his chest.

"One down, about 99% more of the school to go…"

"You did that on purpose," she breathed.

He scoffed, walking down the stairs.

"Of course I did," he said with a shrug.

"Draco! I told you… you're supposed to be giving me time to figure things out. How am I supposed to do that when I'm dodging questions from my friends?"

"Honestly…I don't care."

He walked towards her, looking down at her from beneath his lashes with a serious expression.

"If it were up to me, I would take you in front of everyone in this entire school, just to let them know that you're mine," he whispered.

Hermione scoffed, taking a step back.

"Is this what's going to happen? Are you just going to out us to whoever you see fit however you see fit, without discussing it with me?"

"Are you ashamed of me, Hermione? _Of us_?"

"No. Of course not," she said, pulling him towards her.

She sighed, looking up at him.

"Draco, we don't even know what this is. You don't think that we should wait? That we should at least figure out what the hell is going on first? I mean for all you know, you could be under the effects of some super love potion and these feelings aren't even real," she said.

"That's makes zero sense and you know it," he responded.

She gave him a look.

"I know that. I was merely using an example…"

Draco threw his hands up.

"Fine. Have it your way, but don't you _ever_ imply that what I feel for you isn't real," he harshly whispered.

"Don't you ever do anything like that again without talking to me first," she threw back.

Draco simply scoffed and turned around with a shake of his hand.

"I mean it, Draco," she called out to him.

He simply waved her off, his room door shutting behind him.

* * *

"…so let me get this straight. You went to him for sex and now the two of you are seeing each other?"

"It's…a bit more complicated than that, but, in a nutshell…yes," Hermione answered.

Ginny scoffed, pacing. Hermione knew where to find Ginny and the younger witch had dragged the curly haired girl into her empty dorm almost immediately.

"I mean…I made jokes. Both Lavender and I made jokes, but did I honestly expect this? No!"

Hermione sighed.

"Did you two have a fight? Is that why you slept here?"

"No. I was…I was just scared. I needed some time to think," Hermione honestly answered, recalling the way his eyes and intensity had thrown her for a loop.

Ginny rounded on her.

"Scared of what? He did do something to you, didn't he?"

Hermione immediately stood, calming Ginny.

"No, no, no. I told you…it's complicated. I can't even put it into words and I'm not going to try…"

Ginny shook her head.

"I take it that you two made up then? I mean, judging by what I saw this morning. Merlin, Hermione, how the hell are you even walking?"

Hermione ran her hands down her face, quite uncomfortable talking about how…rough Draco could be.

"That's just…how we are, Gin," Hermione quietly answered, rubbing her hand along her arm.

"Oh, I see. It's one of _those_ relationships. You know, the ones where you fight and fuck all the time," she threw out there.

"Jesus. I told you…it's _incredibly_ complicated and I'm not going to try and explain it…"

Ginny quietly scoffed again, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Hermione tried not to let the accusatory tone and hurt she heard in Ginny's voice get to her.

"In all honesty…this was never supposed to happen. It was just supposed to be a onetime thing, never to be mentioned again. Until, of course, maybe decades down the road. I didn't even think it likely that I'd find myself… _with_ Draco…"

"…and can you blame me, really? Look at how you're reacting, Gin."

Ginny's eyes widened and she shrunk into herself, a sheepish expression passing over her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Seriously? You can't tell me that you're not being the least bit judgmental right now?"

"Well…I mean, it's a bit of a shock, Hermione. You can't just…oh, fine. Maybe I am being a little judgmental, but…it's Malfoy. You two _hate_ each other. Excuse me, if I'm having more than a difficult time wrapping my head around this," Ginny confessed.

"Yeah, well, welcome to the club," Hermione mumbled.

Ginny sighed, walking over and sitting beside Hermione.

"I'm being incredibly selfish…again. I'm sorry…"

There was a short pause.

"So…what is it like? What is _he_ like?"

"Intense," Hermione immediately answered.

"I kind of guessed that," Ginny said, hinting at this morning.

"He's just…I don't know. Like I said earlier, it's hard to put into words…"

"Try," Ginny urged.

Hermione exhaled, looking down at her feet.

"The first time was…indescribable. It was just so…"

"…so what?"

"So _raw_ ," Hermione said, flushing as she recalled the memories.

Hermione had never talked about it aloud like this, not even with Draco. She found that the words just flew out, as if waiting all this time to escape.

"It was carnal, savage, any possible work you can think of. I knew…I knew that it wasn't normal. I mean, you heard Harry and Ron talk here and there, and it was nothing at all like what I'd heard them describe. It seemed to last forever and the next day, we did it all over again…"

Hermione blinked.

"Draco…likes to be in charge. He wants all of the control and he'll do whatever it takes to make you relent any last bit of power you have left. He…squeezes, he bites, he tugs…"

"He doesn't hurt you, does he?"

"No, no. I…enjoy it. I know, I know. I'm one of those girls, apparently. I guess gentle and sweet isn't really my thing," Hermione said, reddening.

"Well, they do say it's always the ones you'd least expect. Although, I'm not at all surprised to hear that he's like that. He seems like the…aggressive type."

"It's more than that, Gin. He…it's like he's afraid that I'm going to disappear at any moment. I feel it in the way he touches me and I see it in the way he looks at me. It's almost like he's constantly having to reassure himself that I'm really here. I honestly believe that he'd burn the school down if he thought that it was a threat to me…"

"You said intense, but…I didn't think…"

"…sometimes I find myself feeling the same way. I have a hunch as to why that is. I suppose that you walked in for a reason this morning, Gin…"

Hermione turned to look at her.

"I need your help with something…"

* * *

"I'm sorry about this morning…"

Hermione closed her book, glancing up at him as he stood over her. There was hardly any fire in the fire place, the room dimly lit.

"No, you're not," she countered.

"You're right, I'm not," was his immediate reply, smirk firmly in place.

He sat down beside her, grabbing her legs and pulling them onto his lap.

"…but I do regret that it upset you. I just…I wanted her to know."

"Why? Why did she _have_ to know?"

He smirked, grabbing her book and closing it, pulling her closer.

"So that she won't have to worry the next time you disappear for a couple of hours. She'll just know that you're with me, blowing off some steam," he whispered.

"Don't be crude," she said, lightly hitting him in the chest.

"Just being honest," he said, brushing his lips against hers.

"I thought that I'd go and see how McLaggen is doing tomorrow," Hermione proposed.

Draco pulled away with a frown, his mood visibly ruined.

"He's fine, Hermione…"

"Draco, we are two very different people. I've accepted that, now, so should you. I want to make sure that he's recovering well, after all…"

"After all, it was _your_ lover who put him there right? Therefore, you feel partially responsible, right?"

Hermione sighed, sitting back.

"Yeah, I do, okay? I just want to be sure that he's alright," she replied.

"He's not dead, okay? Isn't that enough?"

"No, it's not. I'm not going to apologize just because I want to check on him. That's not something that warrants an apology," answered.

"He's fine, Hermione. You don't have to-."

"Well, I'm going to."

"Do you think I have that little self-control? Do you really think that I hurt him that much," Draco spat.

"Honestly, I don't know. Hence, why I'm going to see him-."

"I don't want you going to see him," Draco finally threw out.

Hermione huffed.

"He wants you. He wants you like I want you and I don't want you around him…"

Hermione watched as he sat back, eyes staring forward with his jaw clenched. The pieces were starting to click together.

"Is this why you want everyone to know? You want everyone to see some big, flashing sign that says 'I belong to Draco'?"

"I just don't want people trying to come in between us. I want them to know. I want them to know who you're with, so they know not to try and mess with you. I want them to know what will happen if they try," he hissed.

"…like Fay?"

Draco stiffened and his eyes grew colder.

Hermione had put it off long enough, and she refused to move forward in any way, shape, or form until they resolved this topic. Draco said nothing, simply turning to glare at her.

"Did you two have an argument?"

He said nothing.

"Did she stumble and fall or something? If so, that's not your fault, Draco. It was an accident…"

Draco looked away, exhaling. Hermione threw her hands up.

"Hello? Are you just…not going to answer?"

Hermione was met with more silence and she huffed. With a shake of her head, she stood up.

"Whenever you're ready to talk-what the hell-?"

Draco's fingers were wrapped around her wrist, yanking her into him, their chests brushing together.

"You're not going anywhere," he spat.

"Says who? Who's going to stop me? You?"

She yanked on her arm, but his grip was iron tight.

"I don't want to talk about Fay. I didn't want to talk about her yesterday and I still don't want to today," came his harsh reply.

"I have a feeling that if you had it your way, you'd never talk about her! Let go of me," she hissed.

"Why is this so important to you?"

"Why can't you just answer the question?"

"Because I don't want to talk about that stupid, dead bitch! I want to talk about you, about us. Just admit, this is your way of avoiding the real issue here," he threw at her.

"I think that you possibly killing someone _is_ a real issue," she threw back.

By now, her other wrist was in his grip as well, and he used both of his hands to shove her back onto the couch.

"Fine! I killed her! Is that what you wanted to hear? Are you happy now?"

Hermione was frozen on the couch, back pressed into the seat as he stood over her. She stared at him with wide eyes and a parted mouth, the reality of his words sinking in, washing over her like a bucket of ice water.

"She was going on and on about how much she hated you, talking about going to McGonagall and making a plea to have you permanently removed…"

Hermione swallowed as he began to pace in front of her.

"…she even started talking about finding something on you, something that McGonagall couldn't even argue with…"

His chest heaved and he reached up, clenching his fingers in his hair.

"I got so mad. We were approaching the stairs…"

"Oh my God," Hermione choked, not wanting to hear anymore.

"I just…I shoved her with my foot…right in the back of the leg…"

Hermione slowly sat up, scooting back.

"I knew what could probably happen, I hoped that it would…and it did."

"Oh my God," Hermione chanted over and over.

Deep down, Hermione had known the truth. She wasn't stupid, not by a longshot. Draco having an alibi when she knew that she had seen him was the first red flag. His constant avoidance of the question was all too obvious.

"Hermione…"

She jumped up, sprinting towards the portrait door.

"Hermione!"

She had just reached the door when his hands came slamming down on either side of her. His chest was firmly pressed against her back, rising and falling in sync with every one of her breaths. His face was next to hers, her hair grazing his cheek.

"You told me that you wouldn't leave again…," he whispered next to her ear.

Hermione clenched her jaw, hands trembling.

"…I'm holding you to that."

* * *

 **0.0 Let me know that you think!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I clearly don't know what a scout's honor is nor how to um...honor it. I am so sorry that it took me two months to update... _again_. Unfortunately, personal life and feelings got in the way. Also, I am so sorry that this chapter is so short. Just think of it as another one of those 'calm before the storm' kind of chapters. I promise that the next one won't disappoint.**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

 _ **Pissed**_

 **British** \- Drunk  
 **American** \- really mad

"Oi, look at Tim! He's pissed off his ass! Haha!"  
"Man, I'm fuckin pissed!"

* * *

 _Hermione slowly sat up, scooting back._

 _"I knew what could probably happen, I hoped that it would…and it did."_

 _"Oh my God," Hermione chanted over and over._

 _Deep down, Hermione had known the truth. She wasn't stupid, not by a longshot. Draco having an alibi when she knew that she had seen him was the first red flag. His constant avoidance of the question was all too obvious._

 _"Hermione…"_

 _She jumped up, sprinting towards the portrait door._

 _"Hermione!"_

 _She had just reached the door when his hands came slamming down on either side of her. His chest was firmly pressed against her back, rising and falling in sync with every one of her breaths. His face was next to hers, her hair grazing his cheek._

 _"You told me that you wouldn't leave again…," he whispered next to her ear._

 _Hermione clenched her jaw, hands trembling._

 _"…I'm holding you to that."_

* * *

Hermione's heart fluttered as his breath fanned over her skin, goosebumps erupting over her flesh and sending a shiver down her spine. She swallowed, briefly closing her eyes, fingers scraping against the door, curling into fists.

"Let me out," she quietly demanded.

Her voice was steady, a perfect symbol of composure, but inside… Inside, Hermione was having a full on panic attack. Even if he did let her out, what would she do? Would she tell? The answer came almost immediately; no. She knew without a doubt that more than likely, should would not tell, no matter how much she knew that she should.

"I can't do that, Hermione…"

Hermione felt the calm façade weakening, the urge to scream becoming harder to resist.

"Get away from me this instant-."

His arms came up to wrap around her waist and he yanked her away from the door. She screamed, digging her nails into his arm.

"I didn't plan it, Hermione. It just…happened. She made me so angry…"

They landed on the floor in a heap, his form pinning her down.

"She was out to get you! She was trying to hurt you-."

"That doesn't make it okay!"

" ** _I did this for us!_** "

His face was a hair's width away from her own and his eyes bore into hers, anger blazing within them as his hips pressed into hers. His jaw was clenched, looking as if he was on the verge of snapping at any minute.

"You killed her!"

Draco frowned, suddenly slamming his hand down against the floor beside her head.

"What does it matter? Are you really upset that there's one less _vapid, hateful bitch_ in this world," he spat in her face.

Hermione shrunk away from him, glaring at him through blurry eyes. She was all sorts of conflicted at the moment. Sure, maybe there was some truth to his words. Maybe the world would be better off with one less person like Fay in it. Did that make what he did any better? Hermione was sure that the answer was no.

Who was he to make that decision? Besides, someone could have just as easily said the same about him years ago. Hell, someone could still say the same to this day.

His hand came up to graze against her cheek. Hermione turned her head away, missing the way his eyes had hardened as she did so.

"I would never hurt you, Hermione," he whispered.

Somehow, Hermione knew that. Despite the fact that she had seen him lose control, almost savagely, with so many others, she knew that he would never do the same to her.

She swallowed as he leaned down, grazing his nose against hers, his eyelashes kissing her skin.

"You can't tell anyone," he whispered.

Hermione bit her lip as he pulled away to look at her.

Her earlier thoughts ran through her mind once again. Hermione knew that she should definitely tell someone, which would be the smart thing to do. After all, Draco had admitted to purposefully killing a student, and yet she knew that if she did tell someone…

"If you tell, Hermione…," he began, his voice lowering.

She turned to stare into his eyes.

"If you tell them that I killed her, they'll probably take me to Azkaban. Hell, they might even think I need to be evaluated or something and send me to St. Mungo's…"

Draco reached up, trailing his finger over her collar bone.

"…they'll separate us. They'll take me away from you and…and we might not see each other for a long time, maybe never again."

Hermione's heart seized as his words reached her ears. There was a truth in his words, a truth that she did not want to think about. She began to panic as she imagined never seeing him again, never hearing him speak to her, never feeling his touch…

Involuntarily, her hand sought out his own, and her heartbeat began to normalize as he intertwined their fingers together.

"Wh-what am I supposed to do, Draco? I can't…I can't just pretend that you didn't kill her. I cannot pretend like it never happened. That's not me," she whispered with a shake of her head.

He pulled them up into a sitting position, bringing her to rest in his lap. He ran his hand through her hair before trailing it down her back to rest at the base of her spine. He ran his eyes over her face, bringing his other hand up to run along the crease that had formed on her forehead.

"Tell me what to do," he whispered.

She swallowed.

"Tell me what I need to do to make you happy…"

Hermione looked down, unsure if there was an appropriate response to that. At this moment, there were no more excuses for her. She couldn't plead ignorance, couldn't say that he had misled her. Tonight, Draco had been very honest about what he had done to Fay. He had finally told her the truth, and she…she wasn't going to do anything about it.

His fingers grazing her cheek brought her out of her reverie. His eyes found hers, the bright irises sparkling in the dim light.

"I…I want you to come with me to see McLaggen…and I want you to apologize to him. We can start with that," she finally said.

She could see that this displeased him, but instead of protesting, he simply sighed and nodded.

"Okay…"

* * *

"Geez Malfoy. _Pissed?_ You were pissed? Remind me to stay the bloody hell away from you the next time you have too much to drink," McLaggen said with a groan, pressing the palm of his hand to his forehead.

Hermione slightly stood behind Draco as he apologized to McLaggen, using the age old excuse of being drunk as the reasoning behind his behavior.

"I was completely out of it and thought that you were someone else. It won't happen again," Draco said, his polite apology showcasing his upper-class, refined upbringing.

It took a while for McLaggen to let it go, but eventually did so in the end, stating that it would be stupid and pointless to hold it against him forever. Especially so when he'd come to apologize.

The two of them headed towards the exit, stopping when McLaggen called out to her.

"I'm still waiting on that date, Granger," he called out to her.

She gave a nervous chuckle, feeling Draco stiffen beside her, before they left. The corridor was empty, it being incredibly early in the morning, too early for the average student to be up and about. She glanced up at him, noting how his eyes had gone darker, jaw ticking as he stared ahead.

"Draco…"

"Just…," he closed his eyes "…give me a minute."

He unclenched his fists, letting out a long breath as he attempted to gather his composure.

"I'm not…I never agreed to anything with him. I turned him down, telling him that my current personal life at the moment was…complicated," she said.

He turned to face her, eyes hard.

" _Complicated?_ "

"At the time it was, and to be perfectly honest, it still is," she defended.

He took a step towards her, glaring down at her.

"Are we together, yes or no?"

"…yes."

"Do you _want_ to be with anyone else?"

"No," she answered without hesitation.

"…and neither do I. Now tell me, what's so complicated about that?"

"I…I meant that my feelings are complicated, Draco."

Draco seemed to pause, eyes flashing as he processed her words.

"What does that mean? You don't know how you feel about me?"

She wrapped her hand around his forearm as she took note of the slight hurt that she heard in his voice.

"Draco…ever since I came to you that night…things have changed, some for the better and some for the worse. It's like…it's an intensity like none other than I have ever felt and it scares me. When you add what…well, you know…," she trailed off, Fay's death coming to mind.

She sighed.

"I feel like we're on this train, and the train is just going and going. It seems to be picking up speed by the minute and there's no destination in sight."

"There doesn't always need to be a destination, Hermione."

"There does for me. That's who I am. That's how I prefer to live my life, knowing what's up ahead lest I tumble right off of a cliff," she responded.

Draco reached out, resting his hands on either side of her face, lifting her head so that her eyes met his own.

"As if I would ever let that happen," he whispered, the corner of his lips upturned into a smirk.

Despite the situation, Hermione couldn't help but to smile.

"That was…incredibly corny," Hermione replied.

She reached up, wrapping her fingers around his wrists.

"Thank you for apologizing to McLaggen. I know how much you…despise him."

Draco's small smirk grew, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Honestly, I'm beginning to accept that he really is no threat to me."

"Good. I'm going to head to the Hall, now. It's still quite early, but I'm already up, and hungry…," she trailed off.

"I'll be down later. I need to go back to the dorm," Draco said.

Hermione nodded, waving to him over her shoulder as she left him there, in front of the infirmary.

* * *

Hermione was still eating when Ginny waltzed in, well…sprinted was more like it. The redhead panted as she plopped down in front of Hermione. The curly haired witch patiently waited for the younger girl to catch her breath.

"Is it true?"

Hermione frowned, confused.

"Is what true?"

"Is McLaggen really in the infirmary because of…," Ginny leaned in "… _your_ boyfriend?"

Hermione sat up, eyes widening, glancing around.

"What? Who told you that?"

Ginny's face hardened.

"So it is true…"

"Ginny…it's a long, complicated, 'I'm-still-iffy-on-the-details-myself' story," Hermione replied with a sigh.

"Yeah, I get it, your whole relationship is complicated," Ginny dryly remarked, taking a seat.

"Gin…"

"I'm just saying… Yeah, sure, McLaggen can be an arrogant prick sometimes, Hermione, but I seriously doubt that he did anything worth _that_."

Hermione huffed, pulling Ginny's plate away from her just as she began to dig in.

"Do you remember what I asked you to help me with?"

Ginny sighed, a bit put out that her food was being held for ransom at the moment.

"Yes…"

Hermione just stared, giving the other girl a pointed look. It wasn't long before Ginny gasped, straightening up with wide eyes.

"You think…?"

Hermione released the plate, nodding.

"Does he…?"

"No. He doesn't even suspect. He's completely out of control, Ginny, and I can't take the risk of leaving the castle to find out for myself. At least, not now."

Ginny blinked, mouth parting as her food sat forgotten.

"Okay, I need you to tell me everything. Make a list of every symptom, every abnormal behavior, starting from the very beginning," Ginny firmly said, stressing the importance.

"Okay."

Ginny let out a soft sigh, eyes closing in anguish.

"Also…you need to figure this thing out fast."

"Why…?"

"Ron saw him following McLaggen the other night, and I'm betting that he's the one who's telling everyone."

Hermione bit her tongue, glancing down the table at her former friend who had just walked in.

"Great…"

* * *

"Ron," Hermione called out.

The handsome redhead turned around, face morphing into shock as he just registered who'd called his name. Ron hurried towards her, a small grin breaking out over his face.

"Hermione…"

"Ron, why are you telling people that Malfoy put McLaggen into the infirmary?"

Ron's face dropped, smile disappearing from his face.

"You know…I didn't want to believe Harry when he told me about what had happened in the Heads' dorm…"

She sighed, disappointed, but not surprised at this turn of events.

"First, he defended you, and now you're defending him," Ron scoffed.

"I'm sure Harry told you why he was defending me," she threw at him, arms crossed.

Ron looked down, jaw clenched.

"I told you how sorry I was. I still can't tell you enough how sorry I am…" he looked up "…yeah, sure, he had every right to defend you, I guess, despite the fact that he's… _Malfoy_ , but now? Why are you defending him? I know what I saw, Hermione."

Hermione stared into his eyes, trying to convey to him just how concerned she was.

"Really? So, you saw him hurt McLaggen, then? You saw this happen?"

Ron faltered, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, no, but…he was following him! It isn't hard to put two and two together," Ron argued.

"Ron, you hate him. You always have! You really expect me to believe that you aren't the least bit biased?"

"Why are you trying to protect him or something?"

"I'm trying to protect you, you idiot!"

Ron started, blinking in confusion.

" _Me?_ Heh, you think Malfoy's going to come after me or something? That's cute," he sneered.

"Ron, please, just listen to me-."

"We aren't friends anymore, remember? Why should I listen to you? Why are you even concerned?"

"Just because we aren't friends, you think that means I want to see you hurt?"

Ron chuckled, stepping back with a shake of his head.

"I don't need _your_ protection from _Malfoy_ , Hermione."

Hermione swallowed as he walked away, shaking her head in defeat.

* * *

Draco collapsed on top of her, chest heaving against her own as her legs slid from around his waist, feeling like Jell-O. She tilted her head back as he grazed his teeth against the sensitive mark he'd just bestowed upon her, a shudder traveling down her spine. He rolled them over and Hermione's heart stuttered within her chest as his eyes flashed, just like that day at the Shrieking Shack.

She bit her lip, holding her tongue as they returned to their normal grey.

"What is it?"

Hermione swallowed with a shake of her head.

"Nothing…"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, leaning down to gently press her lips against his.

"I'm not sorry about Fay, Hermione…," he suddenly whispered against her lips.

Hermione closed her eyes, resting her cheek against his chest once more.

"I know," she whispered, a small part of her accepting this side within him.

"…and you know I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Hermione's own heart skipped a beat inside of her chest.

"…I know."

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello, my lovelies! It's an update!**

 **I appreciate all of your reviews, especially those who love to defend and encourage me. Someone complained about the relationship being incredibly toxic and my only response to that was "well, yeah...duh." I love that you guys are always down to have my back, but there are honestly some reviews that just make me laugh and this was one of them. It was harmless to me ( it honestly just confused me more than anything, because everyone else seems to be on the same page except for this person lol). Please just pay those reviewers no mind.**

 **Also, I hit 1K reviews on this story and that makes me so happy. I used to read so much FF in middle and high school (still do, actually) and I viewed writers with 1K+ reviews as something akin to FF famous and now I am one of those writers and it's weird because nothing has changed, honestly.**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

 **Many of you guessed it :)**

* * *

 ** _Veela_** ** _: semi-human_** _magical beings,_ _with white-gold hair and skin that appears to shine moon-bright._ _A half-Veela is a cross-breed between a human (normally a wizard or witch) and a Veela. It is unknown if Veela can breed with Muggles, and it is unlikely that a Muggle would ever learn of the existence of Veela, thus most or all half-Veela will inherit magical ability from their fathers._

 _From their mother, they gain some Veela traits, such as breathtaking beauty and the ability to entrance men supernaturally. It is unknown if half-Veela are able to shape-shift into bird-like creatures as full Veela can._

 _It is unknown if half-Veela or part-Veela can be male, with the same abilities of female part-Veelas. The only known male with Veela ancestry is Louis Weasley, who is one-eighth Veela through his mother._

* * *

"Do you think Malfoy has been acting a bit strange, lately?"

Hermione avoided Lavender's inquiring eyes as they walked down the corridor.

"What do you mean?"

"I know that the two of you are getting along much better now. Surely, you've noticed?"

Hermione shook her head.

"He seems more on edge than normal, no? He's very…fidgety lately, and the words 'fidgety' and 'Malfoy' are just two words that do not go together," Lavender said.

"I hadn't noticed," Hermione mumbled.

That was a lie.

Of course Hermione had noticed. It took everything in Hermione to convince Draco that she would be perfectly fine going to class today, that they didn't need to stay cooped up in their dorm all day long. He had been reluctant to part from her this morning, and she had felt the same way, but they couldn't put their life on hold.

Lavender was about to say something when the two of them walked past Ron, the redhead throwing a glare at Hermione while ignoring Lavender all together.

"Does he still have a stick up his arse?"

Hermione shook her head with a sigh.

"I advised him that it wouldn't be wise to go around and tell people that Draco is the one who put McLaggen in the infirmary. He got all pissy, and all but told me to mind my own business," she said in exasperation.

"What an idiot…"

Hermione was about to reply when she spotted Harry walking towards her, in quite the hurry. He had a regretful look on his face as he approached her.

"Hermione…um… Look, I just wanted to say sorry for what Ron is doing. I've tried to talk to him, let him know that it isn't right, especially since he didn't actually see Malfoy hurt him. I get that you're just looking out for Ron, but he doesn't see it that way," he mumbled.

Hermione exhaled, nodding.

"Well, thank you for at least trying to talk some sense into him. He completely despises me, right now for not welcoming him back with open arms. It was foolish of me to think he'd ever listen to me, especially right now," she bitterly replied.

Harry reached out, resting his hand on her arm.

"I really am sorry about telling him what happened in your dorm that day. I was annoyed and was just ranting. I didn't think," he admitted, briefly glancing at Lavender.

Hermione reluctantly nodded in understanding.

"No…it's fine. I can't blame you for ranting. I do wish that you hadn't done so to Ron though, but…there really isn't much that can be done about it, now," she said with a shrug.

Harry nodded, removing his hand just as Draco walked past them. Harry and Lavender paid him no mind, oblivious to his presence amongst the rest of the students, but Hermione could not tear her gaze away from his cold one.

His eyes narrowed at Harry, lips twisted into a frown as he attempted to set his arm on fire with his gaze. Hermione looked away, swallowing as he breezed by, no one else noticing his brief presence.

* * *

Hermione and Draco walked out of the Headmistress' office, Draco annoyed, and Hermione…somewhat excited.

"I swear, she has nothing better to do," he complained.

"I don't know. I think that a winter dance might be kind of fun," she said.

Draco rolled his eyes, reaching out to drape his arm over her shoulders, pulling her into him.

"Of course it will be fun…you'll be there," he whispered.

He reached up to gently grab her chin, pulling her face towards his so that their lips met. Hermione found herself smiling into the kiss, gently pushing him away lest they get caught.

"Draco," she warned.

He sighed, looking away.

"Are you ashamed of me, Hermione?"

Hermione blanched, eyes widening.

"No, of course not. I just…I'm just not ready for anyone else to know, just yet," she defended.

"Why? Is there something wrong with me? Am I so bad-?"

"No, no. It isn't like that, at all…"

"Then what is it?"

"Why is this so important to you? Why do you feel the need to show me off, claim your territory and crap?"

He exhaled, nostrils flaring, eyes darkening as he stared ahead.

"I don't know how much longer I'll be able to control myself, Hermione," he said.

Hermione swallowed, an uneasy feeling growing in her stomach.

"What do you mean," she asked in a small voice.

He shook his head, eyes troubled and jaw clenched as he looked down at her. Hermione was tempted to take a step back at the intensity within them, but resisted.

"Every time anyone so much as looks at you, I just…," he trailed off, shaking his head.

"Draco…talk to me," she encouraged.

He sighed, pulling away, fists clenched at his side.

"I saw Potter talking to you, yesterday. He was…he was _touching_ you," he spat.

Hermione anxiously waited for him to continue.

"I know that it was innocent, nothing really, but…I just had the strongest urge to…tear his throat out," he said through gritted teeth.

Hermione did take a step back this time. In fact, she practically stumbled back as his eyes flashed, silver briefly bleeding into black and then back again. Her eyes widened, and she had to force herself to keep her fear from showing on her face.

Draco's shoulders heaved with the heavy breaths he took.

"It's like…I just get so crazy about you…"

He turned to fully face her now, eyes wild and confused.

"I just get in these moods where I don't want you to talk to anyone but me. I don't want you to be around anyone. I just…I just want to lie in bed with you all day, touching you, kissing you…"

He took a step towards her, slowly trailing his fingers up her arm and to her neck. His pupils dilated as they lingered on the think skin of her collarbone, traveling to the heated flesh of her neck as her heart raced. He brought his thumb up, tracing it over her neck as he leaned in.

"I want to wrap myself around you as I feel you wrapped around me, hot…"

He grazed his teeth against her pulse.

"…and tight."

"Draco," she warned, pushing her hand against his chest.

Suddenly he straightened, demeanor taking a complete one-eighty as he looked down at her with hard eyes, eyebrows furrowed into a frown.

"We're telling everyone."

Hermione blinked, completely thrown for a loop.

"W-what? No, I-."

" _I don't care_ , Hermione. I don't know how much longer I can take this," he spat, pushing himself away from her.

Hermione felt her anger rise, and she clenched her jaw.

"You aren't the only one in this…whatever this is. Can't you just respect my wishes?"

"Can't you just respect mine," he threw back.

Hermione exhaled, crossing her arms over her chest as she walked towards him.

"Draco…," she quietly began "…Draco, if you do this to me, I swear, I swear on Godric's grave that I'll-."

Draco suddenly spun around, his nose a hair's width away from her own as his own anger flared.

" _You'll what?_ You'll what, Hermione? What are you going to do?"

Hermione took a step back, but he only followed, nose brushing against hers as he mocked her.

"Are you going to hold out on me, because that's the only thing you can possibly do at this point, right?"

Hermione swallowed as his eyes bore into her own.

"Heh, we'll see how long that will last because we both know…"

He brushed his lips against her jaw, planting a teasing kiss on the skin.

"…that you're just as addicted as I am."

"We're not telling anyone, yet, and that's final," she firmly whispered.

Draco pulled away, looking down at her with a threatening expression. She held his gaze as she stood her grown, daring him to object. He simply smirked, eyes swirling with sinful intentions as he took a step back.

"We'll see about that…"

She felt her heart skip a beat, suddenly feeling like she had just done something that she would come to regret as he walked away.

* * *

Hermione pushed her food around with her fork, her appetite completely nonexistent. Draco had not come back to the dorm last night. If the two of them weren't so wrapped up in each other, she might have been worried for different reasons, but she wasn't. Instead, his behavior as of late had her coming up with all sorts of scenarios where he had done something stupid or dangerous that could get him expelled.

She bit her lip, eyes darting around as her knees jiggled up and down, completely on edge. She had waited up for him, finally giving up and retiring to her bed, listening for him to come in. He didn't, and she had soon found herself taking up residence in his bed instead. That did nothing to calm her nerves.

When she had woken up, she was alone, and from what she could tell, his side had not been slept in at all.

"Are you okay?"

Hermione looked up through unruly hair as Lavender sat down across from her, gracefully sliding into her seat.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine."

Hermione contemplated telling Lavender everything from time to time, but it was already too much that Ginny knew. The only silver lining in that was that now Ginny could help Hermione where she could not help herself.

Lavender looked unconvinced, but otherwise didn't make a comment on it.

"Okay."

Hermione looked up just in time to see Ginny making her way into the Great Hall, an unreadable expression on her face. She walked at a brisk pace, a book clutched in her hand as she approached them. Ginny acknowledged Lavender, seemingly focused on something that required a lot of her attention before facing Hermione.

"Hermione…we need to talk," Ginny firmly said.

Hermione hesitantly glanced at the book in her hand.

"About…?"

Ginny hesitated.

"About…that project that you're working on," she said, eyebrow raised.

"Project? What project?"

Hermione glanced at Lavender.

"Um…I'll…I'll tell you later. It's kind of urgent that I deal with this now," Hermione said.

Lavender looked a bit deflated, nodding.

"…Okay."

Hermione had just stood up, Ginny in the process of turning to make her way out of the hall, when Draco entered. Ginny paused when Hermione did, turning around fully now to follow Hermione's gaze.

Draco's pale hair was messily brushed away from his face, gazed hard as his eyes found hers. His school shirt was untucked from inside his pants, his tie loosely hanging from his collar. His eyes were darker now, even from afar, Hermione could tell. He tilted his head to the side, eyes narrowing.

"Hermione…"

Hermione did not register Ginny's voice as she watched Ron rise from his seat, walking over to Draco. Her eyes widened, calling him an imbecile in every different way she knew how as he approached the clearly unhinged Slytherin. She partially blamed herself for this, cursing herself for ever approaching Ron in the first place, knowing that he would do the exact opposite of what she asked.

"What the bloody hell is he doing," Hermione heard Lavender ask.

Hermione took a step forward, brushing past Ginny as Ron began speaking to the blond. She noted that they weren't the only ones watching the exchange, other students eagerly waiting to see what was happening. Harry was still sitting, legs slightly bent, ready to jump up if the situation called for it. Throughout the entire conversation, Draco's eyes did not leave her once.

Then, suddenly, Draco's eyes snapped to Ron, glaring at the redhead with so much intensity that Hermione found herself walking forward, preparing to protect Ron if need be. Only, Draco had moved too fast for her to keep up.

It happened so fast, and Hermione barely had time to register what she was seeing before she sprinted.

Ron was talking to him, Draco looking at him as if he were an insect. Within a matter of seconds, Ron was on his back, Draco pressing him into the table as blood ran down the Gryffindor's face at an alarming rate. Draco's hand was around Ron's neck, the other reaching for his wand.

"Stop," Hermione shrieked, running over and brushing Harry's hands away from her as she approached.

Draco eyes slowly rose to meet hers as Ron squirmed beneath him.

"What are you doing? Let him go," she pleaded.

Harry reached out, gently grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back, obviously fearful for her wellbeing. Draco zeroed in on the movement, dropping Ron as if he were on fire, and reaching for her, his wand aimed at Harry. Harry did the same, the both of them at a standoff as she stood in between.

Her eyes pleaded with Draco as he glared at the raven-haired Gryffindor. His eyes found hers, and she slowly shook her head, silently begging him to stop. He briefly closed his eyes, rolling his neck as his jaw ticked. He opened them, resting his heated gaze on her as he threw his wand to the side.

Hermione gasped into his mouth just as everyone else around her did too. His tongue found hers, massaging and exploring the inside of her mouth with a vigor that she had never felt before. His hands rested on either side of her face, holding her head steady as his lips moved over hers with a skill that made her knees weak.

Her heart fluttered as she kissed him back, eyes falling closed as her body hummed with that familiar, overwhelming energy. Her frame was alight with fire, and at any moment, she was sure that she would combust. She briefly forgot that they were in the hall, in front of everyone who came to eat that day.

At least she did until he roughly bit her lip, making quite the show of it.

She jerked away, staring at him with wide eyes as she reached up to brush her fingers against her swollen lips. Her finger was damp, and she noticed the slight tint of red on his own lips. His chest heaved as he gazed at her through dark eyes, and Hermione swallowed.

She didn't look at anyone as she hurriedly brushed past him and ran out of the hall.

* * *

Hermione finally entered their dorm later that night, face flushed from crying as she closed the door behind her. Her heart involuntarily skipped a beat and her hair stood on end. He was here.

She lifted her gaze just as he exited his room, leaning against the frame of his door, his pajama bottoms resting low on his hips. It reminded her of the night that she had approached him, a nervous and insecure wreck…and now…

"I know that you're angry with me," he began, walking down the steps into the common area.

She said nothing, simply glaring at him.

"…part of me is sorry…and part of me doesn't care," he said.

He walked in between the couches, lighting the fireplace up with his wand, and that was when Hermione noticed the lump on the floor. Draco looked down, head tilted as he fingered his wand.

"Do you know what he said to me, today?"

Hermione's eyes widened as the fire illuminated the locks of red hair. Hermione slowly looked up to rest her eyes on Draco as he frowned.

"He told me that you two would end up together in the end. That it didn't matter if the two of us had some weird camaraderie going on, that when it's all said and done, the two of you of you would be together," Draco said, voice breaking.

Ron groaned, and Hermione let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"You know that he was just trying to get to you, and you let him," Hermione said.

"It doesn't matter, because I'll always wonder…"

Hermione took a step forward.

"Draco…I want _you_. Not anyone else," she reassured.

"Sometimes I can't tell. Sometimes my mind can't differentiate between what's real and what's not," he whispered, eyes glassy.

Hermione swallowed.

"Draco…just let him go. He's not who I want…"

Draco tilted his head back, looking down his nose at her as he aimed his wand at Ron.

"The only way to ease my mind…is to simply get rid of the problem," he quietly said.

"Draco, no! You can't…you can't just go around offing everyone who you think is a threat to us," she shrieked.

"Why not?"

"Because it isn't worth it. It isn't right! Draco, please… I want you and only you, but I can't be with you if you keep doing this," she whispered.

She walked towards him, reaching for his wand.

"Please…don't do this to us," she begged.

She wrapped her fingers around his wand, pulling on it, bringing him with it. She let it drop to the floor, and Draco slowly dropped to his knees, wrapping his arm around her waist, pressing his face into her stomach. She ran her fingers through his hair as he shook, arms tightening around her.

"You make me…," he trailed off.

"I know," Hermione whispered, recalling the poorly concealed panic in Ginny's voice earlier in the dining hall.

"You do?"

"Yes," Hermione quietly replied.

She recalled how she felt as he had kissed her in front of everyone. At the time, she hadn't been angry. She had been proud as his lips moved over her own, proud to let everyone know that she was his as much as he was hers. She had kissed him back, wanting everyone to see that this beautiful man was hers and hers alone. It was a strange feeling, one she imagined that Draco felt almost regularly now.

"I understand now, Draco."

His eyes brightly shone as he gazed up at her.

"You do?"

"Yes, I do."

She didn't need to see what Ginny had found in that book, or even hear what she had to say. Hermione's suspicions were confirmed by her heart, and she shuddered as Draco began to lift her shirt, placing kisses along her stomach.

Draco was a Veela.

She was his mate.

Now, she just had to find a way to break the news to him.

* * *

 **Please keep in mind that there is not much information on Veelas in the Harry Potter universe, especially the possibility of male Veelas, therefore many writers can take a lot of liberty as far as how they want to depict Veelas. I chose to take a darker path because I wouldn't be me if I didn't lol.**

 **Let me know what you think!**


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